


Entropy

by Xenobia



Series: To Serve and Protect [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha!Erwin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drug Addiction, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Mpreg, NSFW, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Omega!Levi, Oral, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Potentially triggering, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rimming, Soulmates, eruri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-03-29 10:41:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 152,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13925460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: Part 1 of the "To Serve and Protect" series I'm working on. Erwin, chief of police, accidentally discovers a captive omega in the basement of a criminal he attempts to arrest for drug trafficking. Over time he develops a relationship with his rescue subject, and he finds himself falling for Levi Ackerman before he knows it. Tragedy, Omegaverse, Eruri.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was very hesitant about publishing this. It's a dark story (at least in the beginning) and it's potentially triggering. Please be aware of the subjects tagged before reading. I'm 13 chapters into it so far, and I'm not sure how many more will be expected. I suspect this story may end up 20 chapters long in the end. Disclaimer: I make no money from this and own nothing.

"Get down on the floor! We have a warrant for your arrest."

The alpha male didn't listen to Erwin's demand. He'd entertained the hope that Derrick Slater would come peacefully when they moved in on his home to arrest him. It had taken several months to build a case against the man because he covered his tracks so well that it was hard to pin anything on him. He'd slipped up, though. He'd neglected to clean up one trail involving illegal narcotics leading back to him, and they finally had something solid to pin on him.

Derrick resisted. He tried to slam the door shut on the officers, and Mike was quick to jam his booted foot in to keep it from closing. With a growl, the big blond alpha body-slammed the door back open and knocked the suspect off of his feet. Erwin charged in behind his subordinate, unwilling to put his men in the line of fire if he could help it.

"Derrick Slater, you are under arrest," he announced, taking aim with his gun. "Do _not_ move. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be—"

"He's got a weapon, chief!"

The shout of warning came from Nanaba, who had come in behind Erwin. Sure enough, Slater was reaching for a gun that he must have had on his person when he answered the door. He'd evidently dropped it when Mike broke through, and it was inches away from him on the floor.

"I said don't move!"

There was a crazed sort of desperation in the auburn-haired suspect's eyes, and he grabbed up the firearm and started to take aim at Erwin. Having no other choice, the police chief fired a shot. He tried to wound rather than kill, but Slater kicked out at him and spoiled his aim. The bullet that was meant to hit Derrick in the shoulder ended up drilling through his chest, instead.

"Goddamn it," swore Erwin as crimson blossomed over the perpetrator's tan t-shirt. "Someone get the trauma kit!"

Erwin holstered his pistol and squatted down before the man, pressing down on the wound to try and slow the bleeding. Slater's tan complexion rapidly went white before his eyes, his lips draining of color as well and blood trickling from his mouth. His eyes went fixed and staring within moments, and Erwin felt his heart falter and stop beneath the press of his palms.

"Trauma kit," announced one of the junior officers. He handed the case to Erwin, kneeling down beside the alpha police chief.

"Too late," announced Mike, also squatting down to look at the suspect. He met Erwin's gaze and shook his head. "He's gone, chief. Better mark the time and call it in."

Erwin sighed. Even if they called for paramedics, Mike was right. This guy wasn't going to get back up from this. "Nanaba, call it in. Mike, check the rest of the house. We've got to at least find some physical evidence to back this warrant or we're in for a world of shit."

"Got it." Mike got back to his feet, and Nanaba went with him to investigate the rest of the building.

"Leonhart, call the paramedics," instructed Erwin. "Tell them to bring a body bag."

"Yes sir," complied Annie. The petite blond woman immediately got on the phone to dial for an ambulance.

Erwin checked the body for identification, careful not to move it from where it lay. He found a wallet, and he opened it up to confirm that he'd at least shot the right person. He found Slater's driver's license, a debit card and a few hundred dollar bills. He also found a photo of an attractive young man with dark hair, a pale complexion and sleepy gray eyes. Erwin frowned at the photo, finding something odd about the way the subject in it was sitting with his arms behind his back. The young man in the photo looked dazed...perhaps drugged.

"Hey, look at this," Erwin said to one of his subordinate officers.

Dita Ness squatted down next to him to examine the photograph. "His boyfriend, maybe?"

"Maybe." Erwin took the photo out of the protective sleeve to check the back of it. There was nothing written on it, but the time stamp date was from two months ago. Erwin turned the picture back around again, peering intently at it. "I'm sure this is an omega in this photo."

"How can you tell just by looking?" asked Dita. "I've only met two or three omegas in my life, and I had to be close enough to smell them to tell."

Erwin kept staring at the picture, taking note of the subject's sculpted features, his small, cute nose, his heavy-lidded eyes and his pouty lips. "I just know. There's a certain cast to omega features that I've learned to take into notice. The skin, the eyes, the hair...they have a luster that beta and alpha males lack. It's hard to explain."

Ness shrugged. "Could just be a pretty beta."

"It's possible," allowed Erwin. "In any case, we should try to find this person. He may have information about our deceased suspect that could help us track down his associates and round them up."

Dita watched him as Erwin kept staring hard at the photograph. He chuckled. "I know he's cute, boss, but you're going to burn a hole in it if you keep staring at the picture so hard."

Erwin glanced sideling at Dita, briefly smirking but otherwise serious. "Does he look familiar to you?"

Ness frowned, and he scratched his short-trimmed dark hair. "Can't say he does. Do you recognize him from somewhere?"

Erwin shook his head, his golden brows furrowed in concentration. "I'm not sure. I feel like I've seen this man before, but I can't place where or when."

Mike came back into the living room from one of the hallways he'd gone down. "Erwin, you'd better come check this out."

Erwin got to his feet, handed the wallet over to Dita to put with the evidence, and he followed Mike into the hallway. They went to a utility and laundry room in the back of the house, and Erwin saw an opened trap door in the floor.

"Leads to a basement," explained Mike. He rubbed the back of his head. "There's a guy down there, and my guess is he isn't here of his own free will."

"Oh?" Erwin examined the trap door with interest.

"He was hiding behind the stairs, and he beamed me in the back of the head with a two-by-four when I made it to the bottom of them. Damned near knocked me out. Nanaba's down there trying to calm him down. So far he hasn't made an aggressive move against her."

Erwin had a hunch of who the man in the basement might be. He thought about the photo in the wallet, and the suspiciously drugged look on the subject's face in it. "All right, I'm going down."

"Be careful, chief," advised Mike. "He might be a small guy, but he's got a hell of a swing."

"Have the paramedics look at your head when they arrive to collect the body," advised Erwin. "I'll be careful."

* * *

Levi kept a tight grip on his improvised weapon as the female officer with short trimmed, feathered blonde hair spoke to him in calming tones.

"Can you understand what I'm saying to you?" she urged, keeping her distance and her palms held out to the side in a pacifying gesture. "We're law enforcement, sir. We're here to help. Do you speak English?"

He'd gotten so used to his words being ignored by his kidnapper that Levi hadn't bothered to speak any for possibly a month. He was convinced that if he tried to answer her, his response would come out as gibberish. He watched her warily, parting his lips and struggling to retrieve the power of speech. He wanted to ask her if Slater was dead. He'd felt the pair bond that the alpha had forced on him shatter, but he was jaded and skeptical that it was over with. He was also reluctant to believe these people were who they claimed to be. He suspected it was a trick, because his life had been nothing but a nightmare for the past few months. He wasn't even sure how long he'd been here.

Another "officer" came down the stairs; an alpha like the one Levi had struck with the two-by-four he'd picked up. This one was blond like the first alpha, tall and broad of shoulder, but not quite as tall as the one with the big nose. He was incredibly handsome, with an aristocratic, sharp nose, thick brows, a squared jaw and piercing eyes the color of a tropical ocean. He was clean shaven and he wore his hair in an undercut style similar to Levi's, except his was styled immaculately, with the longer hair on top combed into place and parted to the opposite side of Levi's, to the right.

Levi's knuckles whitened around the wooden board in his hands, and he backed up a step, eyes flashing with warning. The alpha smell reached his nostrils, and he scowled. He didn't trust alphas, not after what he'd been through.

The blond man spoke to him in a deep, gentle voice. "Let me introduce myself. I am Erwin Smith, Chief of Police. Here, look at my badge."

He pulled out his badge, and he offered it carefully to Levi for inspection. Levi's gaze flicked between him and the badge he was holding out, and the omega stretched one arm out to grab it while still maintaining a tight grip on his weapon with his other hand. He looked at the badge, found the profile picture of Erwin on it beside his name and rank, saw that he was with the Trost precinct. It looked legitimate, and Levi thought that maybe, just maybe, luck had finally come his way. He nodded, and he handed it back. He quickly yanked his hand back as soon as Erwin took the badge.

"You're safe now," Erwin assured him. He was watching Levi with a semi-puzzled look on his face. "What is your name?"

Levi swallowed, licked dry lips. Logically he couldn't think of a reason why giving his name would put him in danger, but he didn't trust anyone anymore.

"Please," urged Erwin. "If you can give us your name, we can contact any family or friends who might be looking for you. We need to identify you, sir, and we need to get you medical attention. Can you speak? You could write it down if that would be easier for you."

God, Levi wanted to get out of this place, but his experiences here had instilled him with something he wasn't accustomed to feeling: fear. He was afraid. He reached inwardly for the mental and emotional fortitude he needed, and he spoke in a low, wavering voice.

"L-Levi."

"Levi," repeated Erwin. He frowned a bit, and he pulled out a small data tablet he kept on him, probably for electronically filing reports. He fiddled with it, and after a few moments, his eyes lit up with satisfaction. He stepped closer to the female officer, and he showed her the screen while nodding at Levi. "I knew I'd seen him somewhere before. There was a missing person report filed on him over three months ago. Levi Ackerman, 224 Charlotte Way North. He's been presumed dead."

The news didn't surprise Levi. He only had two living relatives; his uncle Kenny and his little cousin Mikasa. Kenny he didn't speak to often, because they rubbed each other the wrong way. Mikasa, on the other hand, he kept in touch with regularly. She was probably the one to file a missing person report after a couple of days of being unable to reach him.

"Well, he's obviously not dead," observed the officer named Nanaba. "I'll put the word out that we've found him, so they can notify his family."

Sirens could be heard approaching, and Levi glanced up at the ceiling. He tensed again, wondering if he was about to be hauled off for questioning.

"The paramedics are here," Erwin said. "Nanaba, see if they have a blanket they can give us for Mr. Ackerman while you're upstairs. I'll stay down here with him."

"Yes sir." She went up the stairs then, leaving the two males alone.

Erwin looked at Levi, and he rubbed his chin in thought. "As you can imagine, we have questions for you." His gaze softened on the omega, his face relaxing with sympathy. "That can wait, however. Our first priority is to get you some medical attention and take you home...or would you rather us take you to a friend or relative's residency?"

Levi didn't answer. He felt oddly numb, and he kept expecting to wake up and find he'd just dreamed this. It felt like a part of him was missing, and he realized that was because the bond between him and his captor was severed.

"Derrick," Levi said with effort, finding it difficult to formulate words. "Dead?"

"I'm afraid so," answered the blond. "He put up a fight upon our attempts to arrest him, and he drew a weapon. There was no choice. What was his relation to you?"

Levi looked away, his mouth thinning.

"Was he a friend?" persisted Erwin with a doubtful note in his tone. "A lover? Help me out here, Mr. Ackerman. Any information you can give us would be appreciated. Have you been living here with him the entire time since your disappearance?"

Levi met his eyes again, and he debated with himself. Somehow, Erwin put off a vibe that made the omega feel he could trust him more than most alphas. He parted his lips, and he tried to get his voice to obey his mind.

"No. Neither. He...kept me."

Erwin nodded, keeping his gaze steady on the smaller man. "You mean he held you captive here."

Levi nodded. He tried to say more. His mouth moved, but he couldn't get sound to come out. It was like he'd all but forgotten how to speak aloud. Of course, this was the first time in months he'd been in the presence of anyone that wanted to hear what he had to say.

"It's all right," soothed the police chief. "Speaking is obviously difficult for you right now, and I don't want you getting more upset."

One of the younger officers came down the stairs with a blanket. "Here, sir. Lt. Nanaba is filing the report right now. Captain Zacharius wants you to come back upstairs and check out some evidence he found in one of the rooms."

Erwin took the blanket, and he offered it to Levi. He wisely kept his distance and extended it out to the omega, and Levi reached for it warily. He didn't realize he was cold, until now.

"Nanaba, stay with him," ordered the tall, handsome alpha. He looked to Levi. "I promise you, it's going to be all right, okay?"

Levi tilted his head a little, but otherwise gave no response. Erwin sighed softly, and then he nodded at the officer named Nanaba and went to follow the other policeman back up the stairs.

* * *

"I think the question of what Slater was doing with that omega is now academic," Erwin muttered after joining Mike.

The room he'd been led to looked like something out of a BDSM shop. It was about 20 x 20 feet in size, and it was obviously set up as an adult play room. There was a chair, bed and table all equipped with restraints. Linked chains with cuffs hung from the ceiling over a second set of the same secured to rungs bolted into the floor. There were shelves against the western wall stocked with various lubricants, oils and sex toys. Mike had procured a set of keys from the body in the living room and found the set to the door in this room. It had two bolt locks on it; obviously as a security measure to keep people out...or keep someone in. The windows were boarded up and barred.

"Sick," Mike commented flatly. He glanced sidelong at Erwin. "Did the guy in the basement look like he had any bruises or cuts? I haven't found any whips or knives in here."

"No, he looked physically unharmed, from what I could tell." Erwin shook his head slowly. "He's still a bit feral. I haven't tried to have a closer look at him for fear that it would just agitate him further. I'm betting the medics will find cuff marks on his wrists and ankles when he's lucid enough to be examined. Who knows what sort of injuries his clothes could be hiding?"

"He also has that collar on," Mike pointed out. "I didn't get a good look at it though. Did you?"

"I noticed it, but I thought it was ornamental until now." Erwin sighed again. "Damn it. It doesn't really take a statement from Mr. Ackerman to figure out what our deceased suspect was doing to him for all this time."

"Think he's hopeless as a witness?"

Erwin thought about the conflicting dull look he'd observed in Levi's eyes once the omega calmed down enough to be spoken to. The guy was aware, but he was obviously traumatized. Erwin had seen that look before in his line of work. It was born of hopelessness and desperation combined. Some victims of such abuse got rescued before they could completely retreat within themselves, hence the remaining tiny spark of defiance.

"I think it's too early to tell," Erwin finally answered carefully. "He seems to be in a state of shock right now. All we can do is give him time and the help he needs to recover from his experience. We can put him on a government funded program for counseling to help him cope, and we'll see how he does in a couple of weeks."

Mike nodded. "Wouldn't be the first time. It's too bad you had to shoot that guy. It's going to slow down the paperwork."

"Yes," agreed Erwin softly. He wouldn't waste time and effort on self-blame. He'd done his job, he'd given fair warning and he'd aimed to incapacitate rather than kill. A taser would have been an option, if it hadn't been for the fact that the man had a firearm and a rule of thumb was to never give a perp the chance to shoot you or your fellow officers.

* * *

Levi was loaded up into a separate ambulance from his former captor. He had paused before boarding the vehicle, and he'd walked up to the body bag they had loaded onto a gurney for transport and asked to see Derrick's face, mostly using gestures because he had so much trouble speaking. They let him after some hesitation, and once he was assured his captor was indeed dead, Levi felt oddly liberated. He just wished he'd been able to inflict the bullet wound that killed the man himself.

Wrapped up in the borrowed blanket, he rode in the back of the ambulance with two female paramedics, and he put up with their questions and answered as best as he could. They took his vitals, asked if he was in any pain and offered him a sedative to help with anxiety. He refused it, because he felt he had to stay alert in case this did turn out to be some kind of dupe after all.

They were gentle with him as they examined him, but every touch made Levi flinch and want to lash out, all the same. Were they male, he wouldn't have allowed the contact at all. When they arrived at the hospital, his fight or flight impulses kicked in. Levi hated hospitals...hated illness and germs. The last time he'd been in one was when his mother passed away from the cancer that had slowly eaten her alive. He'd never wanted to see the inside of a hospital again after that, yet here he was being urged into a wheelchair for transport.

"It's okay," soothed the redheaded paramedic, evidently noticing the way Levi was looking around for an escape route. "Mr. Ackerman, please sit in the wheelchair and let us take you inside. You've been through God only knows what, and we're going to take good care of you. It's okay, honey."

He looked between her and the brunette paramedic, torn. Levi knew that once they got him admitted, they weren't likely to let him leave of his own volition. He knew what he must look like to them, pale and shaken, tangled hair, marks and bruises on various parts of his body. Both women were watching him like he was a stray dog that could bite with little or no provocation, and he couldn't blame them for that.

"No...alphas," he said, finally sitting down in the chair. His knees gave out as soon as he began to lower himself, and he plopped down on the seat faster than intended as a result. Luckily the wheels were locked in place, so the chair didn't roll backwards.

The paramedics glanced at each other. They were in the dark concerning the details of his ordeal, but he could tell by the pitying glance exchanged between them that they had a pretty good idea.

"I'll make sure the staff knows not to send an alpha doctor to treat you," promised the redhead. "Would you prefer a woman, or would a beta male be acceptable to you?"

Levi grimaced inwardly. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the prospect of a woman seeing him naked and treating him either, but given the choice...

"Yes. A woman."

The brunette released the brakes on the wheelchair, and she pushed Levi to the main entrance of the hospital. She waited with him while her companion went to admit him. Levi caught sight of the police chief coming through the sliding doors with his taller blond companion. Levi could smell his alpha scent all the way from across the room. It was stronger than average, and when Erwin's blue gaze settled on him, Levi thought he knew why.

The man was attracted to him. It wasn't ego that brought Levi to that conclusion; it was instinct. He'd always been able to tell when alphas were interested in him. There was a certain way they looked at him, even when they tried to be subtle about it. If that didn't give it away, the potency of their scent usually did. It always got stronger when an alpha found him sexually appealing.

It made Levi want to jump up and charge out of the building before they could finish admitting him. Maybe he could make it outside and out of sight before anyone caught up with him. He started to do just that, compelled by a fresh wave of panic. As soon as he started to get up, however, he was assaulted by dizziness. He saw spots before his eyes, heard the paramedic watching over him call out in alarm, and he started to collapse.

"Mr. Ackerman, what do you think you're doing?"

A pair of strong arms suddenly caught him before Levi could hit the floor, and he realized dazedly that they belonged to Chief Smith. Levi trembled as the golden-haired alpha lowered him carefully to the floor, staring down at him with open concern. Erwin cradled him despite Levi's attempts to squirm free. He was strong...stronger than that bastard that had abducted Levi and violated him for the past few months. Levi struggled some more, shoving at the officer's chest and growling. He might as well have been a kitten for all the strength he had right now.

"Levi, stop this," commanded Erwin. "Nobody is going to hurt you. You're obviously dehydrated and whatever your abductor's been drugging you with has made you sick. You have to trust me. Let these people take care of you."

"Oh my," said a husky female voice from somewhere behind Erwin. "What have we here?"

Levi blinked up at the woman that had circled around and bent over to have a better look at him. She had brown hair gathered into a sloppy, high ponytail, wine colored eyes, a tan complexion and a hawkish nose. She wore a pair of oval glasses, and she had a lab coat on over her yellow scrubs.

"Doctor Zoë, this is a new patient," explained the redheaded paramedic. "We just brought him in. He doesn't want to be treated by any male doctors."

The doctor frowned, and she motioned for the two male nurses heading their way to stop. She didn't ask why Levi didn't want a man to examine him. She looked at Erwin, who was still holding Levi in a protective but subduing embrace. She obviously recognized him and vice-versa.

"Chief, I don't think you're helping matters," cautioned the doctor. "The poor thing is obviously scared out of his mind, so I would suggest you stop manhandling him."

Erwin eased his hold on Levi, allowing Hange and the paramedic to help the traumatized omega back to his feet. He backed off as suggested, but those eyes never left Levi. "He started to collapse."

"I've never seen you move so fast," muttered the other officer to Erwin.

Levi's legs were shaking, and he allowed Hange to help him back into the wheelchair only because he was on the verge of blacking out. The drugs that Slater had forced on him that morning were wearing off, and Levi's body wasn't reacting well to that. The high was leaving, and to his shame, Levi missed it. Those drugs were the only thing that made his situation remotely bearable, and Derrick never let him go for long without a fix. It was how he'd kept Levi subdued for so long, otherwise the omega was sure he would have escaped on his own within days.

"All right, let's get you to a room," announced the doctor. "I'll take a blood sample and we'll get you started on fluids while I see what I'm dealing with."

"I'm going to need a report," Erwin told her, "for the case file."

The doctor looked at Erwin, her brows furrowed. "Doctor/patient confidentiality, Erwin. I would love to help you out, but you need Mr. Ackerman's consent for any disclosure concerning his medical information."

"This is a special situation," said Erwin. "I'm investigating a crime. I could get a court order if I have to, but I would much rather your patient agree to share the information in the interest of his own case."

Erwin looked down at Levi, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. "How about it, Mr. Ackerman? Will you agree to allow it? None of the information will go beyond this investigation, I promise."

Levi didn't understand why Erwin needed to know any of that. His kidnapper was dead, so he couldn't need the medical records in order to prosecute Slater. His head was reeling, and he started to pant.

"Gonna...be sick," warned Levi, and then he leaned over and puked all over Chief Smith's shoes.

* * *

Erwin left Levi in the care of Hange, and he went to the precinct to start working on the case. While it was true that he couldn't bring Slater to justice in the legal sense, he still had to get a full statement from Levi Ackerman. There could have been more than one party involved in the omega's abduction. If that was so, then they couldn't close this case until all suspects were accounted for.

He impulsively wiped his shoes off again once he got into his office. He could still smell the sour odor of Levi's vomit, though Hange had brought him sterile wipes to clean up the mess as soon as it happened. Sometimes having an enhanced sense of smell was more of a curse than a blessing.

"I want to get a statement from his friends, his family members and his coworkers," Erwin said to Mike when the taller man joined him in his office with some paperwork. "Someone had to have seen him the day before he went missing, if not on the very day it happened. We'll also need to interview Mr. Slater's neighbors. Maybe one of them saw him take Levi into his house on the day of his abduction."

Mike nodded. "Yeah. Someone might have heard something suspicious from outside, too. I'll find out which postal workers have a route on that street too. They might have seen or heard something."

Mike sniffed, his nose wrinkling. His sense of smell was even sharper than Erwin's. "I've got to wonder what that guy had to eat last. Smells like sewage."

"I agree," sighed Erwin. "I may have to have these professionally cleaned to get rid of the smell. I don't think it's from anything Levi ate, though. I think it's from whatever drugs that man had him on."

"Do we know he was keeping him drugged, or is that just a theory?"

Erwin tossed the wet wipe he'd just used in the waste basket by his desk. "Unless it was purely from being in shock, I'd say the way his pupils were dilated when we found him that it's a strong possibility. Dr. Zoë can confirm that with some tests."

Mike noticed the way Erwin's eyes narrowed as he looked over the reports. "That's an intense glare you've got going. You're not taking too much personal interest in this, I hope?"

Erwin looked up at Mike, unaware that he'd been scowling. "Call it instinctive impulse. I don't do well with seeing omegas or women abused."

"Well, Slater won't be doing that to anyone ever again. Mr. Ackerman's safe now."

"Is he?" Erwin frowned in spite of himself. "If that man did half of what we suspect he did to Levi, it's going to live with him for the rest of his life. I don't feel that killing Slater was enough."

"If there was someone else in on it, you'll get your chance to put them away for life," reasoned Mike. "Don't dwell on speculations, Chief. We won't know all of the details until the victim's ready to talk."

"I suppose you're right."

Even as Erwin conceded that point, he wondered if Mike was right to be concerned. Any decent human being would be revolted and horrified by what they'd found in that house, but the helpless anger that Erwin felt was startling. It was the sort of rage he would have expected if it had happened to someone dear to him, not a complete stranger whom he knew nothing about. He ached to avenge the wrong done to that little omega, and he again regretted fatally shooting his kidnapper, if only because the man hadn't suffered enough to his liking.

* * *

Hange shook her head as she went over the test results. It was as bad as she'd feared, and though she'd told Erwin that she wouldn't share Levi's medical information without his permission, she felt compelled to go against protocol. Levi wasn't in any shape to give verbal consent right now. Hange had him medicated as soon as she knew what sort of treatment he was going to need. To do otherwise would have put his system under too much strain and risk his life.

Hange took her cell phone out of her pocket, looked up the number for the police station and called it. "Hello, this is Doctor Hange Zoë," she said when the operator picked up. "I need to speak with Chief Smith concerning a patient that he brought to my hospital. I have information for the case he's working on. Yes, I'll hold."

She waited for perhaps three minutes before the call was transferred and Erwin picked up. "Good evening, Hange. I hope you have favorable news for me."

"I wish I did," she sighed. "Now listen; before I even say anything I want you to swear not to share this information with anyone else. Not even Officer Zacharius. This has to stay between you and me until my patient is lucid enough to consent to releasing the information. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, of course," answered Erwin immediately. "I trust you've found something important in his blood tests?"

"I did. In fact, it's got me very concerned for him. I don't know exactly how you came upon him or what happened to him, but he's got traces of both heroine and Bremelanotide in his system. The latter by itself isn't dangerous and shouldn't have any negative side effects when it's out of his system, but the former is a major problem."

"Damn it. I know what heroine addiction can do," sighed Erwin. "I've seen it far too many times in my line of work."

"Then you know that Levi is going to need rehab after his initial treatment here."

"Without a doubt," agreed Erwin. "Do you know of any good clinics in the area?"

"I know of several," answered Hange, "and I'm going to give him some pamphlets to go over as soon as he's coherent enough. In the meantime, I'm putting him on methadone to ease his withdrawal symptoms. I need to observe him for a couple of days to determine how bad it's going to get, and I'll adjust his dosage accordingly. If you have any recommendations for where he can go for psychotherapy, please share."

"I'll gather up that information and email it to you," promised Erwin. "What was the other drug you said you found traces of?"

"Bremelanotide," she repeated. "It's an aphrodisiac. It's commonly used to treat sexual dysfunction in women, but it works on men too. Omegas have a particularly strong reaction to the drug. The only common negative to it is increased blood pressure, but Levi's got good numbers, so that's one less concern."

Erwin went silent for so many moments that Hange wondered if they'd been disconnected. "Erwin?"

"I'm here," he said. His voice sounded different. Low, dangerous and eerily calm at the same time.

"All right, I've shared my information with you," Hange said, "and violated medical codes in the process. In that light, I think it's only fair that you share more information with me. Why does my patient have opiates and aphrodisiacs together in his system? What is his story?"

"He didn't take them by choice, if that's what you suspect," explained Erwin. "We found Mr. Ackerman in the basement of the home of a suspect. We went to arrest him for dealing illegal narcotics. The suspect resisted arrest. Unfortunately, our attempt to bring him in alive failed. We had no idea there was an omega being kept in the basement until my people searched the house."

"Wait a minute," breathed Hange, eyes widening. "Do you mean to tell me that little fellow was being held hostage by someone?"

"Yes," came the answer. There was a sharpness to Erwin's tone that left little doubt of his feelings on the matter. "He was reported missing over three months ago. I recognized him from the missing person report. The entire time people were searching for him, he was in that house. It was just a fortunate coincidence that we had a warrant for his kidnapper's arrest, otherwise he would still be there and he might not have ever been seen alive again."

Hange took her glasses off, because they were getting steamed up as the horrible realization of how Levi got those marks and bruises on his body made her temperature rise. She wanted to deny it, because it was awful to even consider.

"Erwin," she said carefully, thinking of Levi's request when he'd first arrived, "was this man you tried to arrest an alpha type?"

"Yes, he was."

Hange shut her eyes. Now it made perfect sense to her why Levi would only accept a female doctor, and why he'd reacted the way he did when Erwin caught him while he was collapsing. "Oh God. I'm afraid to ask, but my next question has to be addressed, for my patient's sake. Was he being raped?"

Hange thought she heard something creak, followed by a grinding noise. Erwin was gritting his teeth on the other line. That's what she was hearing. "Erwin, I need to know. Levi didn't tell me much of anything. I thought he was mentally handicapped at first, in fact. Now I know it's post traumatic stress I'm dealing with instead. If he was violated, I need to test him for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases."

"I have every reason to believe he was," confirmed Erwin. "There was an...adult play room in that house. Lots of bondage gear, toys and the like. Given the condition Levi was in and his behavior when we found him, I would be very surprised if I'm wrong."

"He's terrified of alphas, specifically," Hange pointed out. "I'm afraid I have no choice but to treat him as a sexual assault victim until he's capable of telling me otherwise. Goddamn it, I hope you blew his kidnapper full of holes when he resisted arrest."

"It was a clean kill, unfortunately," admitted Erwin. "Had I known what we'd find in that basement, I'd have aimed for his balls instead of trying to shoot to wound."

"At least it's one less rapist in the world. I'd better go and get started on those further tests. The sooner pregnancy is confirmed, the more options a person has. He's going to need every choice available to him if he tests positive."

"I agree," said Erwin, "though I truly hope he doesn't have to suffer the additional tragedy of unwanted pregnancy, on top of what he's already been through."

* * *

-To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

It had started with the nausea, which Levi thought was just from stress at first. He didn't think withdrawals could creep up that fast, but by the next day, he had cold sweats and the shakes on top of vomiting spells. His doctor was giving him medication for it, but she was being frugal about it. Levi had to endure three hours between doses in which the methadone wore off and his withdrawals were full-blown. Hange explained to him that she wasn't trying to be cruel; she was just playing it cautious to determine how much medical therapy he was going to need.

It was torture. He had muscle spasms, stomach pain, anxiety and of course cravings on top of the rest. At one point his teeth started chattering, and when Hange saw this, she increased his dosage and the frequency of it. Levi was so out of it that he didn't even know Mikasa came to see him. He was unconscious while she was there, and his doctor told him about her visit later that night.

"She stayed with you for an hour," Hange told him. "She had some young fellow with her. A cute guy with pretty green eyes and brown hair."

"Eren," guessed Levi through gritted teeth, fighting another wave of the chills. That guy was always hanging out with his cousin. Him and the blond kid Mikasa went to high school with were both usually around when Levi stopped by her place. The trio was inseparable, and Levi had often wondered who was doing whom. He'd never asked Mikasa though; her sex life was her own business.

Hange smiled down at him. "You seem to be doing a little better. You're much more lucid now than you were yesterday or this morning."

"W-when can I go?"

Hange's smile faded. "We'll have to play that by ear, Levi. Before we even think of releasing you, we have to get your withdrawal symptoms under control. You need to completely detoxify and recover before I can let you check out. We also need to go over your clinic options, because you're going to need help staying clean after this. Now, your cousin said that she's covered your rent while you were gone, so you still have an apartment to go home to. Mikasa never gave up on finding you."

That didn't surprise Levi. While he and Mikasa didn't engage in a lot of affectionate interactions, they were loyal to one another. He'd have done the same for her. He imagined she had a lot of questions about where he'd been for all this time, but that would have to wait. Levi didn't know just how much he was going to divulge to her about his ordeal. He wasn't in the habit of lying, but he didn't know when or if he'd be ready to tell her the whole truth.

"Do you have anyone that can stay with you for a while?" persisted Hange, "or could you stay with them? Maybe your cousin?"

Levi thought about it, and he shook his head. He didn't want to be around anyone. He was sure Mikasa would be willing to make arrangements like that if he asked, but his shame and humiliation were too great. If she was around him too much, she might pick up on what had happened to him. He might talk in his sleep and give himself away. His experience couldn't be undone. He would have nightmares about it for the rest of his life—at least, as much of it as he could remember. Being drugged all the time had at least one advantage, and that was the blessed fog that came with it and blurred his memories.

Some of those memories were still too clear, though. Levi wasn't always at the peak of his high when Derrick used him. Sometimes the man came to him when Levi was coming down from a dose, and those moments were painfully, bitterly vivid in his mind. His fists clenched, and he closed his eyes, whispering to himself, telling himself to stop remembering the sweaty press of his captor's body against his, the way he grunted while he took him, the feel of the cuffs and the taste of the ball gag in his mouth.

Levi started to cough, his gag reflex kicking in as he imagined that choking device shoved between his teeth. Hange rubbed his shoulder as he rolled onto his side and reached blindly for the barf pan. He heaved up all of the water he'd drank, along with the little bit of gelatin he'd managed to consume.

"I don't think you should live alone for a while," stated Hange when his retching eased up. "You need moral support, and you need someone that can help you resist temptation while you're trying to kick the habit. You shouldn't try to do this alone, dear."

He looked at her as Hange took the barf pan and went to empty it and rinse it out in the bathroom. When she returned, Levi could see the awareness in her gaze. She was looking at him with a painful kind of sympathy, the way people tended to look at someone that had lived through a tragedy and they wanted to help, but weren't sure how.

"You know...what happened to me?" he asked. Talking was getting a little bit easier, and he supposed part of the reason was because the drugs were being purged from his system. How many nights had he just laid there in that basement drooling, staring off into space? Slater generally only let him sober up enough to function when he fed him. Sometimes he would force-feed him because Levi would try to starve himself.

"I don't know exactly," whispered Hange, "but I think I know enough to put the pieces together. The chief told me they found you in the basement of a drug dealer. The marks on your body and your aversion to letting a male doctor examine you says enough to me."

Levi swallowed. He wanted another shower. He felt filthy, but he couldn't wash away the taint inside of him no matter how much he scrubbed. Without meaning to, he spoke of how it began.

"He used to come into the bar I worked at. The guy that took me, that is. He...was a regular there. Didn't think he was dangerous, but...he always stared. It was creepy, but not...sh-shit, it's not like...I never get stares. I just blew it off."

Hange sat down in the visitor's chair beside his bed, and she folded her hands together in her lap. "How could you have known? Nobody expects to get kidnapped when someone shoots them an admiring look. May I ask how he got you, or is it too soon for you to talk about that?"

Levi averted his gaze, and the chill in his face vanished with a flush of humiliation. "Slipped me something. He asked...if I'd have a drink with him after my shift. Said he got stood up and...he just wanted to have a drink with a cute guy to sooth his pride. I don't know when he put it in there or...how the hell he...did it without me noticing. I don't usually leave open drinks unwatched at bars, but I thought...it would be safe. It was my bar. People knew me there. He must have...done it when I checked my phone messages. It's the only time I looked away...for more than a few seconds."

Hange reached out to place a hand over one of Levi's. "I'm so sorry. You know this wasn't your fault though, right? It sounds like you had every reason to believe it was safe. I'm no shrink, but I understand people who have been through this sort of thing tend to blame themselves in some way, wondering what they could have done to avoid it."

Levi shrugged. He could have said no to the fucker. He knew something didn't feel right about Slater, and he knew the man had started frequenting the bar because of him. It was obvious to everyone that Derrick admired him, and some of Levi's coworkers even had bets going on how long it would take the alpha to ask him out.

"I know it's hard to believe right now," encouraged Hange. "It's too fresh, and you've got a healing process to go through before you can pick up the pieces. I can't imagine what you're going through, but you're a survivor. I could see that about you right away. Do you want to talk some more about it, Levi?"

He thought about those first awful moments when he woke up in that basement and realized that his "admirer" had been planning the abduction for some time. He thought about the way he'd struggled the first time the son of a bitch injected him with heroin, though Levi was still too groggy from the drug he'd slipped him at the bar to put up much of a fight. He thought about coming partly back to his senses again, only to open his eyes and see that alpha's sweating face hovering over him, rutting and grunting and staring down at him.

"No," Levi decided in a whisper. "I've talked enough."

"Okay." Hange bit her lip. "But there's something I need to tell you before we let the matter drop. The blood and urine samples I took from you earlier today were for very specific testing purposes. I didn't tell you the details because you were barely awake, and it's important that you're able to understand this."

His brows pinched, and that sick feeling twisted Levi's stomach again. "What sort of tests?"

Hange sighed. "I already suspected what had happened to you, so I decided to get some lab work done as a precaution. The results should be in tomorrow morning. I'm testing for pregnancy and STD's. It's hard to tell if you're symptomatic of any of those right now, with your body going through heroin withdrawals."

Levi stared at her, shocked. It hadn't even occurred to him that he could be pregnant. Of course, being stoned all the time didn't exactly lend him enough clarity of thought to consider that possibility.

"Fuck. _Fuck_!" He sat up, fisting his hands in his lap.

"Don't panic," advised Hange. "I'm sure this man's goal wasn't to start a family with you, so he might have taken precautions. If you didn't go into heat while he had you hostage, the odds are low that—"

"I _did_ go into heat," snarled Levi. "Every...fucking...month. That shit...the sex drugs he gave me with the other stuff...it kept me horny even...even though I...didn't want..."

"All right, I understand," Hange said in a pacifying tone. "We'll know soon enough, but if your pregnant, you can't be very far along. You have options, Levi, and we can discuss those if the test comes back positive."

Levi rubbed his temples, his hands shaking. "All those drugs. Wouldn't they seriously fuck up a fetus? I might have even miscarried without...realizing it."

"Yes, extended drug abuse is harmful to a fetus. How much damage it does depends on when conception occurred and how much substance the parent takes afterwards. It's also possible that you may have gotten pregnant and miscarried at some point, as you say. If you can't recall having any bleeding or cramping at any point while you were a captive, it's doubtful."

"I only remember snatches of it," admitted Levi. "Mostly the moments when I came down from my high, before he'd inject me again. He forced a pair-bond on me too, so even when I wasn't completely strung out, he had...he had influence over me."

Levi didn't know how else to describe it, and concentration was getting difficult again. Beta types generally had trouble understanding how the bond between omegas and their alphas worked. They couldn't wrap their head around the concept of one partner being able to compel the other through a spiritual link.

"Oh Levi...I didn't know that." Hange's expression was earnestly dismayed. "The way you've been violated is unforgivable."

He started to shake again, and his stomach rolled. The pain was coming back. Maybe if the drugs didn't kill any fetus Slater put in him, these withdrawals would take care of it and Levi wouldn't have to contemplate having an abortion at all.

"Meds," he gasped. _~What a wretched thing I've become.~_

Hange checked her watch with a frown. "I'm sorry Levi, but it's too early for your next dosage. You have to hang in there for a little over an hour. I know it's hard, but you can do this."

He felt like sobbing, but not even when Levi was a captive and being raped did he beg or cry. He clenched his jaw and squeezed the extra pillow Hange had given him for comfort. He didn't ask again, but suffered as silently as he could. He felt Hange stroke his hair, and the doctor stayed with him as he endured another round of withdrawals.

* * *

Erwin didn't hear anything further from Hange until three days after their first phone conversation. He had the day off, yet he was going over statement reports on the case when she called him. She had more news about Levi, and it wasn't good.

"Lab tests have confirmed it," she informed him. "Levi's expecting. I just got the results in and I called you immediately."

Erwin sat down on his couch again, sighing heavily. He'd been so hopeful that this situation wouldn't happen. His heart actually _ached_ for Levi, though this wasn't his first time to have rescued someone from domestic abuse or abduction. For whatever reason, he couldn't seem to detach himself from Levi's situation and handle this with his usual professionalism.

"I see. Does he know yet?"

"Not yet," she answered. "He's resting at the moment. I called you first."

Erwin frowned. "Why? Not that I don't appreciate your getting back to me, but I would have expected you to inform the patient first."

_~And it isn't like I'm the father of this child. What are you doing, Hange?~_

"True, and I explained to you why I haven't told him yet. Frankly, I called you because Levi has asked about you. Mostly in his deliriums when the withdrawals are at their worst. He's mentioned you while lucid, too. I find that interesting, given his understandable aversion to alphas."

Erwin stared blankly at the wall. "What has he said?"

"Not much. He asked where the blond cop was at one point, and another time I think he was hallucinating that you were standing over his bed. He talked to you. He said he was sorry for being such a 'chickenshit' and he knew you were trying to help him. When he mentioned you in his coherent state, he asked how long I'd known you."

Erwin didn't comment right away. It both pleased him and made him ache to know that Levi thought of him. "What do you think that means?"

"Well, one of my colleagues in psychological care would probably say he's formed an attachment to you. What happened when you found him in that basement, Erwin? Was yours the first friendly face he saw?"

"No. Two of my officers found him first, and then I spoke with him. I used my negotiation training, mostly. He was like a wild animal, and he attacked Mike when he saw him. I talked him down and convinced him to come with us. It took some effort, but he did calm down after a bit."

"Then you did good," Hange complimented. "Whatever you said to Levi earned you a measure of trust. I'm not saying he's going to declare you his bestie and spill his life secrets to you, but if you want to come and visit him, he might be willing to give you a statement. Don't rush into it immediately, though. I still have to tell him about the test results, and he's going to need at least a day to cope with it before anyone presses him to talk about his experience."

"Of course," agreed Erwin. The poor thing was about to suffer yet another devastating blow to his life. It could be some time before Erwin could get a proper statement from him, if it ever happened at all. "Just tell me when to arrange a visit when you think he's settled enough to talk to me. I don't want to traumatize him further if I can help it."

"Absolutely. How is the case going? Have you found anything useful yet?"

Erwin glanced down at the paperwork sitting beside him on the couch. "So far, I've got statements from Levi's cousin, two of her friends, his uncle and some of his coworkers. The most helpful statement was from the latter on the list. They saw him having a drink with the perpetrator at his place of business. The man was seen frequenting the bar several times over the month before Levi's abduction, and all of the staff agree that he showed a strong interest in him. One of the bartenders said that she saw Levi leave with him, and she thought he looked drunk. She said that struck her as a little odd, because he's not known for over-indulgence and she didn't think he had more than one or two cocktails."

"That's because he wasn't drunk," muttered Hange. "It only took one cocktail."

"Beg pardon?"

The doctor sighed. "Levi told me how that bastard got his hands on him. I hate to break confidence again, but he might not be willing to discuss this with you when you visit him. He told me that his kidnapper asked him to have a drink with him after work. Because he was a regular and Levi felt safe in his own workplace, he agreed. The bastard snuck some form of date rape drug into Levi's drink, and that's how he got him out of there and into his house without a struggle."

It was a scenario that Erwin was sadly familiar with hearing. It happened all the time; especially on college campuses and at parties. He'd been wondering how someone managed to get Levi subdued without sustaining injuries, especially after the fight he put up when they found him. Even under the influence of drugs, Levi had retained enough presence of mind and strength to nearly knock Mike out. Something still felt off to him, though.

"Levi was far from helpless when we found him. I'd like to know what else that man did to keep him under control."

"Ah, that's another thing," confided Hange. "He forced a pair-bond on him. The drugs he was giving him in conjunction with the heroin must have triggered his heat cycles. Combined with the opiate, I think it compromised Levi's resistance enough for his abductor to fulfill the necessary conditions to bind him to him. I'm sure you know that a pair-bond can be abused by an alpha if he has a mind to do it."

Now it made sense to Erwin. His eyes narrowed, and a fresh surge of anger went through him. Again, he wished he hadn't shot Slater that day. He would have loved to see him put away for life and made arrangements so that he would end up as someone's bitch.

"I'm not going to mention any of this to him when I have the chance to see him," decided Erwin out loud. "I appreciate the dilemma you faced in telling me, and the delicacy of the matter. I'll respect Levi's dignity and let him tell me what he chooses in his own time, but Hange, he's going to need counseling, and he may need a referral to an abortion clinic."

"I'm already on top of that," she assured him. "I got your recommendations in my email yesterday, and I'm going to look further into them myself. I'll also touch bases with the associate I mentioned and see if they have any suggestions. I doubt he'll keep it, but if he decides not to terminate, we'll get him set up on a maternity program to help him get what he needs. Unfortunately, the best one I know of is an adoption program. I don't know Levi well enough yet to guess what he's going to do."

"Just do whatever you can for him, and I'll do the same," suggested Erwin. "I've got people out today trying to get statements from any neighbors that lived near Slater or in Levi's apartment building. I doubt the latter will provide much useful information, but we may get a lead on anyone that may have assisted Slater from his neighbors."

"And if he did all of this solo?" pressed Hange. "What are you going to do then? There's no point in making Levi appear in court to testify, if that's the case. There would be nobody to prosecute and it would cause Levi stress that he just doesn't need."

"I realize that, and I have no interest in putting him through that if it turns out that there's nobody else to arrest. If Slater didn't have an accomplice, this case will be closed. I'm already going through the process of getting Levi state benefits to help cover the therapy he's going to need. I should hear something back by the end of the week."

* * *

Levi was staring out the window when Hange knocked on his door and came in. He was ping-ponging between restlessness and lethargy; sedate for a while from the medication they were giving him, then writhing in pain and lashing out at people. They'd restrained him to the bed at one point and sedated him. He was still in his restraints, but one of the nurses was compassionate enough to open the blinds for him so that he could look at the view outside.

"Levi?"

He turned his head slowly in the direction of her voice. He watched the doctor approach, and he wondered what time it was.

"They tied me up," he heard himself say dully.

Hange briefly bit her lip. "I'm sorry about that. You were getting violent in the throes of your withdrawals. I think you're calm enough now to be released from those restraints."

She approached the bed, and she hesitated. "Damn it. Levi, I know this only triggers bad memories for you, but there's something I've got to tell you before I free you."

He actually hadn't been thinking of bad memories. The restraints were so familiar to him that they were almost...comforting. He'd been subjected to them so much over the past few months that he even felt more secure when he was bound. Levi knew that was insane and wrong, but still...

"What...is it?" Speaking coherently was difficult for him now, but he could understand her well enough.

Hange sighed, and she stood at the foot of his bed, measuring him with her gaze before speaking again. "The lab results are back. I double-checked everything just to be sure there wasn't a misreading. The good news is that you're clear of any signs of sexually transmitted diseases. The bad news is that you're pregnant."

"I see."

Levi dropped his gaze, staring down at his own torso. A part of him had been expecting to get back news like that, after the initial shock of Hange telling him that it was a possibility wore off. He couldn't be fortunate enough to escape that bastard without Slater leaving him some form of "parting gift" that would stay with him even after his death. It wasn't enough that the man had raped and abused him, humiliated and violated him for months. Now Levi had something physical to deal with, something that he could be rid of one way or the other, but would still impact his life from here on out.

"You seem surprisingly calm about this news," observed the doctor softly. "Even resigned. Or maybe that's the medication's influence on you."

Levi closed his eyes and shook his head. Beneath the sedating qualities of the meds, he was terrified. He simply wasn't the sort to typically allow his fear to rule him, though it did sometimes get the better of him—as recently demonstrated. The meds did numb him, helped keep him from flying into a panic attack, though. Maybe when they started wearing off again he would feel more strongly.

"I'm just tired," he stated truthfully enough.

Yes, tired. That was a good adjective for it. He was tired of being afraid, of being used, of being controlled by others. He was tired of living, period. He could think of nothing he had to live for now. He couldn't see a future for himself. Yes, he could probably get his old job back, but working in that place would be a constant reminder of how he ended up in this fix to begin with. He had his apartment to go home to...his _empty_ apartment. That should have comforted him, because he'd meant it when he said he wanted to be alone. It made him feel hollow, though. What did he have to do, day in and day out? He felt like he would just be going through the motions and...

...And Hange was watching him with a troubled expression on her face. Levi opened his eyes to look at her, and he could tell that he'd given something away in his response. He wondered how many times she'd treated patients like him. She seemed to have some experience with it. Maybe it was a specialty of hers.

"You have options," reminded Hange gently. "I'm going to give you some paperwork to go over whenever you feel up to it. You just tell me what you want to do, and I'll help in any way I can."

He swallowed. His mouth was so dry. "How far...along am I?"

"Approximately three weeks," she answered, "so you have a big window right now. There's no immediate rush to make a decision, okay? Take your time and focus on getting better for the time being. There's ample time for you to make your choice and get the process started for whatever you decide to do."

"Is there...some kind of pill? Like an emergency pill...I could take?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid it's too late for emergency contraception. There are abortion pills available to you if you decide to go that route within the next couple of weeks. After that, your only option is surgical. That's the most pressing thing to worry about, but like I said: you have time to think about it."

He didn't want to think about it, but he'd already been doing so anyway. That was, when his mind wasn't so bogged down with drugs or withdrawals that Levi could formulate coherent thought. He'd never wanted kids anyway, but to have one through rape? The thought made the already delicate state his stomach was in worsen. His mouth started to water, and he started swallowing desperately to keep from getting sick yet again.

"Do you need the barf pan?" Hange guessed, noticing his sudden pallor and behavior.

"Let me out of these," Levi rasped. He couldn't roll onto his side while he was restrained like this, and he'd already experienced the disgusting humiliation of vomiting on himself earlier.

Hange waited for a moment longer, and then she did as he asked. She gave him the vomit pan just in case, but Levi stubbornly kept his cookies lidded.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she pressed when his breathing calmed and he felt a little better. "Anyone else I can call?"

Levi shook his head. "No." Everyone that gave a shit had already been contacted, and his uncle hadn't called or come by as far as he knew. That was fine by Levi.

"All right, then. I'll give you some time alone to rest and think things through." Hange adjusted the sheets covering Levi, gave him a little pat on the hand and headed for the door. "Ask for me anytime if you need me, Levi. Even when I'm not on duty, I'll talk to you if you need advice or just an ear."

Levi nodded wordlessly, and she left him in peace. It occurred to him that even if he decided to carry the brat to term, continuing his medical treatment for heroin withdrawals would probably risk further damage to it. This wasn't just a matter of choosing whether or not he could go through with sharing his body with a rapist's baby for nine months. It was also a question of whether he could put the interests of that baby ahead of his own, and if he could go without methadone for that long. Levi knew that to be the brutal truth without Hange needing to tell him so.

He wasn't a selfless person. He'd been taught to look out for himself in life, because nobody else would.

* * *

Erwin gathered information on the case of the state vs. Slater during the week, keeping himself focused on confirming there were no other conspirers in Levi's kidnapping before closing it. They'd already found and arrested two people that had dealings with Slater, but so far, neither of them gave any indication that they knew the man had been holding an omega captive in his basement. From what they said in their interrogation, they did all of their dealings with Slater in locations other than his home. In fact, both of them claimed they didn't even know where the guy lived.

It was going to take a while to round up everyone involved in the drug ring, charge them and put them on trial. It might even take as long as a year before all parties were legally dealt with and the case was closed. Erwin was determined to use that time to track down anyone else that might have had a hand in Levi's abduction. He was still thirsty for vengeance as if the misdeed had been committed against a love one of his own, and he still couldn't say why he was so personally effected by the victim's plight.

At the end of the week, Erwin finally got a call from Hange with news of Levi's progress. She told him that he was doing much better. In fact, he'd even gone off the methadone they were giving him to treat his withdrawal symptoms, which was unusual for addicts because most of them tended to need it as a crutch, sometimes on and off for years to come.

"That's a bold decision for him to make," observed Erwin after hearing the news. "Why would he risk it? He impressed me as smarter than that. He could relapse and fall back into the habit much faster without that extra therapy."

"He knows that," Hange assured him, "and Levi's started going to meetings in the detox treatment center here, until he's ready to be released. He's doing it this way because of the baby."

"Oh." Erwin's mind went blank. He'd forgotten about the pregnancy test results. "He's keeping it?"

Hange hesitated. "I think it's best for Levi to be the one to tell you the details. He wants to see you, Erwin. He wants to talk to you alone. Do you think you could squeeze a meeting with him into your schedule?"

Erwin did have a busy schedule today, but this was too important to him to blow it off. "I can get a couple of hours free this afternoon. I'll ask Mike to take care of some of the paperwork I need to finish. I think he'll agree when I tell him it's related to the case we're working on."

"Good. He'll be happy to hear that. What time would work best for you? You two could meet up in the park across the street from the hospital. It's quiet there. People usually go there to jog or ride the bike trail, so you could find a private spot by the pond and nobody will bother you."

"Sounds good," agreed Erwin. He checked the clock on his wall, and he mentally reviewed his job responsibilities for the day. "Two o'clock would probably be ideal."

"I'll relay that information to him," promised Hange. "Levi will be there. I'm sure he won't stand you up, because this is important to him."

Erwin frowned, wondering if the omega was ready to give a full statement, or if there was something else in the works that Hange wasn't telling him. "All right. I'll be there on the dot."

"Thank you, Erwin. You are such a good guy. I'm so glad you were the one that rescued our poor grump."

* * *

Erwin made the arrangements to meet up with Levi as promised. He arrived two minutes before the appointed hour, and he walked the paths of the park until he came to the pond with the fountain spray in the middle of it. He looked around until he spotted the omega sitting on a stone bench near the water. Erwin swallowed, suddenly nervous. Levi had been feral the last time they spoke, barely coherent. He wondered what the young man was really like beneath all that trauma. Who was Levi Ackerman, really? Perhaps he was about to find out.

Erwin nudged himself into motion, fearful that if he kept Levi waiting for even a minute the omega would have a change of heart and bolt on him. As he approached from the right of Levi, the police chief took in his appearance.

Someone—one of his friends or family members Erwin presumed—must have brought Levi some of his own clothing. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, a gray button-up shirt and a black leather jacket. He had a pair of rectangular shades with silver frames over his eyes, and his feet were adorned with lace-up black ankle boots. As Erwin approached, he noticed a glint in Levi's right earlobe, and as he drew closer he saw that the source was a silver stud. He hadn't noticed the omega's ears were pierced when they rescued him, but so much was going on at the time.

Honestly, if it weren't for his pallor and the faintly gaunt look to his face, Levi could be mistaken for an ordinary albeit very attractive omega out for relaxation in the park. Erwin might have tried to strike up a conversation with him and get his number. He wasn't ordinary, though. He wasn't here for leisure. This man was a survivor of abduction, abuse and rape.

Keeping that firmly in mind, Erwin closed the remaining distance. He didn't immediately join Levi at the bench, sensing the man's tension. Instead, Erwin stopped a few feet away from it, prepared to greet him first so as not to startle him. Levi turned his head and looked up at him before the alpha could speak. His nostrils flared delicately, and Erwin realized he was upwind of the omega and his scent probably carried over to him.

"Hello, Mr. Ackerman," said Erwin politely. He deliberately relaxed his face, dropping the typical stone-like expression he wore to disguise his thoughts and feelings while working. "May I sit with you?"

Levi glanced down at the bench, and though there was enough room to the right of him for Erwin, the omega scooted to the far left before nodding. He was making sure there would be space between them, and Erwin took note of that before sitting down. He made sure not to use more bench space than needed, respecting Levi's personal space. Levi might never feel safe in close proximity to an alpha male again, Erwin realized.

"How have you been?" asked Erwin, trying to break the ice. Levi's lips appeared chapped. Erwin impulsively reached into his jacket for the lip balm he kept in there, and he deliberately did it more slowly when he noticed Levi tense. He offered the balm to the omega with a little nod. "Your lips are a bit cracked. Would you like some?"

The omega's lip curled subtly in an expression of distaste. He shook his head. "No thanks. I don't share lip product, toothbrushes or anything else you put in or on your mouth with other people. It spreads germs."

Erwin smirked a little, and he put the balm back. He refrained from asking Levi if he thought he'd give him the cooties. This wasn't the time to make jokes; the guy was obviously very hygienic...to the point of being a germaphobe. "Suit yourself. Are you feeling better?"

"Let's disperse with the small talk," answered Levi in a flat, clipped tone. "I asked to meet up with you here for a reason."

"Of course. Forgive me if I seemed like I was prying. What can I do for you?"

Levi hesitated, took a deep breath. He looked forward at the fountain spray in the pond. "I'm pregnant."

Erwin's expression went flat, and while he didn't pretend surprise, neither did he give it away that he already knew. "I see."

Levi turned his head to regard Erwin again, and it seemed to the alpha that he was measuring him with his concealed gaze. "I need your help."

Erwin was admittedly uncomfortable. "I'm sure Dr. Zoë can provide you with resources for whatever you choose to do, if she hasn't already."

"That isn't what I need help with," explained the omega. He dropped his head a bit, staring down at his lap. He threaded his fingers together in it, and he visibly swallowed. "I need credibility for the story I'm going to use. Nobody knows what really happened to me except you, Hange and the other people that were there on the scene. I'm not ready to tell my friends or family. I may never be."

Erwin nodded. "That's understandable, though my unsolicited advice is for you to have at least one person you can confide in honestly about it."

"I'm working on figuring that part out," said the Omega. "For now, I'm concentrating on putting together my story and making it believable. That's where you come in."

"All right, I'm listening. What role is it you need me to play? I can't agree to it until you give me full disclosure."

Levi gave a short, brief nod. "All right. I need someone to be the 'father' of this brat. Someone people would believe I'd go for and end up knocked up by."

Erwin blinked slowly at him, and he found it harder to maintain a neutral expression. "Why?"

Levi peered at him, ducking his head a little so that he could look at him from over the top of the frame of his shades. His gaze was sharp and piercing, like daggers. "Don't fuck with me. You're smart...observant. You've already figured it out, Smith."

"While I'm flattered that you think so highly of my observational skills," Erwin said carefully, "you may be accrediting me with more than I deserve. You aren't what I would call the most predictable person, Levi. I sure as hell didn't expect you to ask me to masquerade as the baby's sire."

Levi looked away. "Tch. I guess not. I just meant you've probably figured out this means I'm going to have it."

"Is that so?"

Levi nodded shortly again. "Yeah."

"That's...very noble of you." Erwin couldn't think of anything else to say. He was still trying to absorb Levi's odd request of him.

"Don't give me laurels I don't deserve," snorted the omega. His voice had a dark, bitter cast to it. "I'm not doing it for the brat. This thing inside me was put there against my will, just like that poison I'm going to be addicted to for the rest of my life, even if I manage never to touch it again."

Erwin's heart went out to him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Truly sorry this happened to you, Levi."

The omega went on as if he hadn't heard Erwin's expressed sympathy and regret. "I'm doing this for selfish reasons. I'm not going to let that fucker who kidnapped me turn me into something I'd hate. I'm not opposed to abortion, but I never thought I'd be in the position of having to choose one. Never thought I'd have an 'oops' because I've always been careful with my partners. I definitely never thought I'd get raped. It happened though, and I'm not willing to live with the possible regret of abortion. Maybe I'd be okay with it under these circumstances, but since I can't know how it will effect me, I'm going to take the path I think will lead to the fewest regrets."

"I understand," Erwin told him gently. "However, having it could come with its own regrets as well. Are you prepared to raise this child, knowing how it was conceived?"

"No. I'm not prepared to do that either," admitted Levi, "which is why I'm going to give it up for adoption. I'd rather regret knowing there's a kid of mine in the world that I gave up to a good home than regret putting an end to it before it could get a chance to live. There's going to be regret no matter what I do, but I've thought long and hard about it, and I think this is the best choice for me. In the end, I'll be doing something good even if I'm really only doing it so I won't feel like a piece of shit."

"That's an interesting way of seeing it," observed Erwin. "At least you're honest with yourself."

Levi sighed, and he pushed his sunglasses up and propped them on top of his head when the sun went behind a cloud. His cool gray gaze met Erwin's, surprisingly calm in the face of this personal tragedy he was living through. "That's where you come in. This kid is either going to be an alpha or omega type. There's no getting around that. I need an alpha male to pose as its sire. Someone people will believe I'd go for. I can't use a beta male for this, because as soon as its type gets confirmed, everyone would know I lied about the paternity. Or they'll think I never knew who the real father was. Either way, it would complicate things more than they already are."

"And you've selected me for this role?"

"Haven't I already explained that?" Levi frowned in irritation. "Yes, I want you."

_"I want you."_

Erwin tried not to let those words un-ground him. They weren't spoken in the context of sexual desire, he knew. Damn though, if Levi were to say that to him under different circumstances...

"May I ask what I did to deserve this unexpected request?"

Levi shrugged. "You're tall. Handsome. Sophisticated. Smart. You're my type... _were_ my type, before this all happened. Everyone that knows me will believe I would bang you."

Erwin cleared his throat and, amazingly, he felt his face heating with a blush. "What would be expected of me if I were to go along with this? What kind of story have you formulated to tell people?"

"I'm going to say I went out of town on the weekend I vanished. I wanted to get away for a while, and I didn't tell anyone because I just wanted some 'me' time. They'll buy that. I'm not exactly a social butterfly and I like my privacy."

Erwin nodded, unsurprised to hear that. "Go on."

"I'm going to say I had an accident. I got hit by a car crossing the street and my head took the brunt of the damage. I was in a coma, and since my wallet was in my hotel room because I was just trying to walk to a nearby cafe for some breakfast and tea, I only brought some cash with me. The hospital couldn't identify me, so they had me there as a John Doe. Eventually I woke up, told them who I was and they had me transported here."

Levi paused for a second as if gathering his thoughts. Erwin waited curiously to see where this plan of his was going. Finally, the omega resumed speaking. "This is the part where you and I meet. Since I was listed as a missing person, the police came to talk to me once I woke up. I gave a statement, but some paperwork got fucked up so you personally came here to talk to me yourself and get it straightened out."

"Interesting," murmured Erwin. "It sounds like you put a lot of thought into this. Tell me though; if I'm supposed to be the sire of this baby, when would we have had sex?"

"That's simple. You and I hit it off when you got my statement, and we went out on a date after I recovered enough to be released. We got a little too drunk and had a one-night stand. Next thing I knew I was pregnant."

Erwin frowned. "That's...well forgive me for being critical, but that's cutting it awfully close. How far along are you?"

"Not far," Levi told him. "Just a few weeks. It can work, Chief. If I have the kid a few weeks earlier than expected, people aren't going to get too suspicious."

"I suppose, but I need to understand what exactly you expect of me, should I agree to participate in this plan of yours. Wouldn't you have to name me as the paternal parent on the birth certificate? You're asking me to give this child my name, Levi."

"I understand your concern." Levi grimaced. "I don't have to put your name on the certificate. I can just put down 'unknown' under the sire. Hange told me they don't interrogate omegas or women if they can't name the father. They'll just think I'm a slut that doesn't know which of my partners knocked me up. Yeah, the people adopting might question me for the sake of medical history, but in the end there are plenty of people too desperate for a baby to give much of a damn how the surrogate got knocked up, as long as the kid comes out healthy."

Erwin grimaced at that. His pity for Levi increased with the thought of people believing he got in his situation out of reckless sexual behavior. It bothered him even more that the omega spoke so casually about putting himself through this only to give the baby away to someone else.

Levi sighed. "Look, I know it's a lot to ask, but you're the only one that can do it. You said you wanted to help me, and this is how you can. You don't have to go to checkups or birthing classes with me. You don't have to be present when it's born. I'll tell people you're supporting my choice and helping with medical expenses. They don't have to know you're not really involved in it. I just need you to go along with it. They don't need to know what I put down on the birth certificate either, just so they have some explanation that doesn't lead to what really happened to me."

There was no way in hell Erwin should even consider agreeing to this, and yet when he looked into those haunted, half-lidded eyes and saw the quiet desperation and angst in them...

"You know that one lie begets more, don't you?" pointed out the alpha gently. "If we do this, you could be in a position of having to lie to the people you love for the rest of your life. I also wonder what your friends might do if they think I got you in trouble and didn't even try to be in your life beyond the bare necessities. This could put my job at risk, Levi. It could cause a scandal if the citizens believe that their chief of police slept with and abandoned someone he was supposed to protect and serve."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I know my cousin, and while she might have some unkind words for you, she's not petty enough to try and ruin your career. Neither are my friends. My uncle couldn't care less if there's not a profit in it for him."

"Then wouldn't your uncle try to blackmail me?" Erwin pointed out. "You make him sound like that sort of person."

"Nah, because he's got too much shit on his criminal record to risk fucking with the chief of police. He'd know all you would have to do is pull up his file to find something on him you could use to get a search warrant and fuck up his world. He's a rat, but he isn't dumb."

"Oh really?" Erwin cocked his head. "Who is your uncle?" He'd researched, but the only family members listed in Levi's public records were his deceased mother and his cousin Mikasa. There was no mention of any uncle or other surviving family members.

"I'm not telling you that." Levi smirked weakly. "I don't get along with him, but I'm not about to rat him out, either."

"So much for trust," stated Erwin dryly. "You have to give me something to go on, just in case. I have a right to protect myself if I agree to this and you're wrong about this guy."

Levi bit his lip in consideration. "When you agree to do it, I'll give you a name. The rest is up to you, but you've got to swear to me you won't go after him unless he gives you good reason."

Erwin raised a brow. "Has he committed a crime he hasn't been charged with yet?"

Levi shrugged. "I have no idea. There's no telling with that guy, and we hardly talk. I'm just saying regardless of how I feel about him, he's family and I'm loyal to family, if nothing else. Do we have a deal?"

Erwin was at war with himself. He desperately wanted to help this shattered young man heal from his experience and pick up the pieces of his life, but he had to consider his personal security as well. He could always demand a paternity test if Levi tried to screw him. If he put Erwin's name on the birth certificate, changed his mind about giving up the baby and tried to go after him for child support, a simple blood test would remedy the problem. Erwin didn't think he was the kind of person that would do that, though.

"I need to think about this," he decided at length. "I'm sorry Levi, but I can't just agree to this on the spot. Like you when you found out you were expecting, I'm going to need some time to consider it before I make my decision. I _do_ want to help you. Please believe that."

Levi gave a nod, and he seemed to deflate a little with disappointment, though his response was reasonable. "I understand. It's a big favor to ask from a guy that doesn't even know me. Let me know when you make a decision. You've got my number?"

Erwin shook his head. "No, I don't. I did find your old cell phone number in your records, but that's no longer in service."

"Right." Levi shivered a little. "No, it wouldn't be. That...thing took my phone from me, probably smashed it to pieces to make sure it couldn't be used to track me. Mikasa picked up a new phone for me. Stupid of me to think you'd have that number."

"Why not give it to me now, and I'll send you a text from mine so that you can simply save it to your contacts?" offered the blond. "I intended to give you my personal number anyway, so that you could call me if you needed anything or had any information you wanted to share on your case."

Levi gave him a strange look. "You know, I figured you would do something like that. You just...seem like the kind of guy that goes above and beyond. Maybe that's why I came up with this crazy idea and felt like I could trust you enough to ask you for help."

Inappropriately perhaps, Erwin smiled at the expressed admittance of trust. He might be the only alpha male Levi Ackerman was capable of trusting even a little bit right now, and that made Erwin feel special. "I don't know that I would always go the extra mile, but I appreciate your trust in me. Let's exchange phone numbers, and I'll escort you back to the hospital—"

"I don't need an escort," Levi said stubbornly. "It's right across the street. I got here alone and I can make it back alone without a major catastrophe."

"And you'll go back?" persisted Erwin. "You won't take the opportunity to go home?"

Levi glanced over his shoulder, looking across the park at the medical building looming in the background. "No. I...I still need their help. I'm not ready to go home yet. I know that now."

Erwin was proud of him for admitting it, but he didn't dare say so. Levi was, he'd begun to learn, a very independent-minded, proud omega despite all he'd been through. Best not to make him feel patronized. "Good. I think you're going to be just fine, Levi. Hang in there."

* * *

-To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

Levi suffered. He suffered more than he ever had before, to his recollection. That included his time as Slater's prisoner. At least when he was being held captive and violated, he'd been doped up most of the time and half out of it. He was fully aware now, fully sober and struggling each day with the burning craving for a fix. He thought often of that rush he got from his drug, how it used to make everything go away for a while and put him in a state of euphoric bliss, of artificial peace and tranquility.

Now there was no peace, there was no tranquility. There was only the nagging restlessness, the frustration and the anxiety of knowing he might be like this for the rest of his life, and he had to live with it at least until the thing inside of him was born and his body was his own again. It was going to be rough; especially if Erwin Smith didn't agree to participate in the ruse Levi had cooked up.

Without Erwin's help, Levi would have to convince his friends and family that he'd been so irresponsible he got wasted enough to have sex with someone without even remembering it or them. He'd have to concoct some story about waking up in a hotel room, knowing he'd had sex but not knowing who with or how they'd hooked up, and he'd have to say the other guy split before he came too, ergo Levi couldn't identify him.

They'd never buy it. Nobody that knew him at all would believe that Levi Ackerman would get that wasted without at least having a trusted buddy there to watch his back and take him home. He could still use the "hit by a car and ended up in a coma" excuse. Hange had already agreed to back that story, though in either case, there was still the issue of other people knowing how Levi was really found. He would have to worry about that later, though. Right now, his main concern was getting a feasible story in place to tell everyone. He would rather die than let them know the truth.

His friend Farlan came to visit him on the second day after his talk with Erwin. It was hard for Levi to keep his composure and hold his temper in check. The withdrawals weren't as painful as they'd been in the beginning, but his cravings made him shorter of patience, twitchy and distracted. He excused his moodiness on stress when Farlan asked about it, explaining to him that he had to put his life back together and it was a daunting challenge.

"Hey, I understand," Farlan reassured him kindly. "I know you're still a little fuzzy. We were all so worried about you, but Isabel never gave up hope. She said you were too stubborn to be dead in a ditch somewhere, said you'd show back up eventually. I've never been happier to see her proven right."

Levi fought a grimace. He'd known Farlan and his adopted younger sister since grade school. He hated lying to them. He looked at the beta, debated on whether he should just come clean with him, and decided against it. "I'm not going to be myself for a while. It's going to take some time for me to get my head sorted back out. You should warn Isabel about that so she doesn't bombard me with questions. I'm short-tempered right now."

"Aren't you always?" Teased the beta male with a smirk. He shrugged, combed his fingers through his shaggy, silver-blond hair. "Don't worry; Isabel has the sense to know when not to push you. We're here for you, bro. If you need anything, you just call us and we'll come running. Okay?"

It felt good to have someone on his side that wouldn't question him or suspect him, as Mikasa did. Grateful for it, Levi considered the situation with Erwin. The alpha wouldn't come through for him. Levi felt that he would have been in contact with him by now, otherwise. He needed to mention the "one night stand" he'd concocted so that at least one person knew he'd been with someone.

"Hey Farlan, about the day the accident happened," Levi began. "The night before it happened, I—"

Levi's cell phone began to play the tune he'd set for general incoming calls. He knew it wasn't a regular contact, because he'd assigned custom ring tones to each of them. He glanced at the phone on his food table impatiently over the interruption, snatched it up and looked at it.

It was Erwin Smith.

Levi blinked, and his stomach twisted with anticipation. This was it. He was about to get turned down officially, and right when he'd been about to put plan B into motion.

"I've got to take this," he said to his friend. "It's private, so would you mind stepping out of the room for a minute?"

"Sure, Levi." There was some concern in Farlan's pale gray eyes, but he didn't question him. He got out of the reclining chair and made his exit.

Levi answered the call. "I was starting to think you forgot about me," he stated in greeting, forcing a dry tone to his voice.

"That wouldn't be possible. I'm working hard on my case and I must admit, I've been thinking of you a lot."

Levi felt hot all over, suddenly. It shook him to hear Erwin say that, though the logical part of his brain insisted that the man's comment came from a place of professional interest, rather than personal.

"Then do you have an answer for me?" he asked, assuming Erwin would know exactly what he meant.

"I do, and the answer is yes," responded the deep voice. "I'll support you in this, Levi. I'll put my trust in you and do whatever I can."

The tension left Levi's body in a rush. He didn't know how to express his gratitude, unskilled as he was with social interactions. "Are you sure? Once I put this into play, there's no backing out."

"I'm sure," insisted the alpha. "I understand, Levi. I've thought it through carefully."

Levi closed his eyes, nodding. There was a deep ache in his chest that he couldn't explain. This man was willing to put his reputation and career on the line to help him save face. He hadn't believed anyone could be that selfless, and yet Erwin had come through for him. Maybe not all alphas were pieces of shit after all.

"Okay. I'll start telling people my story then. Erwin, uh...thank you. This means a lot to me. I suck at gratitude, but thanks."

There was gentle amusement in the other man's voice when he responded. "It's going to be all right, Levi. You'll get through this and Hange and I will help. Stay strong."

Levi didn't know how to respond to that. He couldn't see how it was going to be all right, even with the doctor and the chief of police on his side. He was too grateful to Erwin to say as much, though. He had to take one day at a time.

"Well...thanks," he told the man awkwardly. "I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you will," said Erwin. "I'd like to call you later tonight and discuss further details, if that's all right by you."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Levi hadn't considered going in depth with things. His main concern had just been in getting Erwin to go along with his cover story. "I'll speak with you later."

"All right, Levi. Try to have a good day. Focus on healing."

Levi flushed. Each time Erwin said his name it felt...intimate. Oddly enough, it wasn't invasive. It made him feel...safe.

"Talk to you later," he said, grateful that the alpha couldn't see his blushing face. He hung up, and he called out to his friend to let him know he was finished with his phone call. Farlan stepped back in to the hospital room quietly, and he took his seat again on the lounge chair.

"So when are they letting you out of here?" asked the blond. "Isabel wants to take you out to celebrate, when you're feeling up to it."

"I don't know," Levi admitted. "Hange wants to keep me under observation for a few days longer. It's up to her."

"You're on a first-name basis with your doctor now?" Farlan smirked. "That's not like you. She must be pretty good for you to trust her like this."

"She's all right," Levi stated evasively. He considered his plans, and he thought this was the best opportunity to set them into motion. Hange had already agreed to go along with whatever story he wanted to come up with, and she had also avoided going into details with his friends and family while he was working things out. Levi grudgingly conceded to the fact that she was one of the best friends he had at his disposal.

"The cop that found me is pretty decent too," he said, facing the window. He looked out the portal at the city scape, thinking his words through carefully. "I think he likes me. I just got off the phone with him, and he asked me out on a date."

"Oh really? Man, you're the only guy I know that could pick someone up while in the hospital. So what did you say?"

Levi shrugged, playing it down so as not to arouse suspicion. "I said I'll think about it. He's calling me back later tonight."

Farlan chuckled softly, and Levi turned around to eyeball him. "What's so funny?"

"You," answered the taller man. "Always playing hard to get. I can tell you're interested, though. What is this guy like? He's got to be pretty interesting to have caught your eye."

Levi shrugged again. "Tall. Blond. Nice blue eyes, good-looking."

"In other words, just your type." Farlan smirked at him.

Levi turned back around to look out the window. "Yeah. Just my type."

_~Not to mention drop-dead gorgeous and more honorable than anyone has any business being.~_

* * *

"You serious?"

Erwin met Mike's gaze after explaining to him what he planned to do and hearing his reaction. "Yes, I'm serious."

Mike shook his head, for once looking completely bewildered. It wasn't an expression Erwin was used to seeing on the other alpha's face. "Chief, this is dangerous. I know you feel for the guy and I do too, but he's a drug addict—"

"Through no fault of his own," interrupted Erwin defensively. He still couldn't say why he was so protective of Levi, but hearing even his best friend talk about him that way made him bristle.

"Doesn't matter how it happened," insisted Mike. "The point is, he's still an addict and you don't know jack-shit about him. He could turn on you and make your life a living hell."

"Don't you think I've considered that possibility?" Erwin challenged. "If I believed that was a true risk, I wouldn't be doing this. He won't turn on me."

"How do you know that?"

Erwin went still, considering the question. How, indeed? Mike was putting forth a reasonable argument, and he was only trying to look after him. "Gut feeling."

The taller alpha sighed, and he scratched at the beard growth on his chin. "Your instincts are usually spot-on, but I'm worried. I think you're smitten with this guy."

"While I do admittedly find him attractive, my urges aren't ruling over my head," insisted Erwin. "This omega needs help, and I'm in a position to give it to him. I understand your concern, but I really do trust Levi Ackerman. He's been through hell, has no reason whatsoever to put his trust in an alpha and yet he came to me for aid. I can't in good conscience turn him down."

Mike shook his head. "I swear you've got some kind of knight in shining armor complex, boss. Hope this doesn't blow up in your face."

Erwin smirked. Leave it to Mike to make the most astute observations. "You may be right. I trust you'll have my back if things go south?"

Mike grimaced. "I always will, even when I think you're making a dumb-ass move." He checked his watch. "I've got to meet up with Nanaba for lunch. Tell me you're at least getting laid for all your trouble."

"It isn't that sort of arrangement." Erwin's face heated, and he held his temper in check. "Do you really think I would solicit sex from a rape victim, my friend?"

To his credit, Mike had the grace to look ashamed of himself. "Shit. Sorry. I was just talking out my ass. I guess the job knocked some sensitivity out of me."

Erwin relaxed, sympathizing with him. Their work did tend to desensitize them to horrors that most people would find appalling. "We'll let that one go. Enjoy your lunch date and try not to come on too strong."

Mike sniffed. "At this rate, she probably thinks I'm a cold fish. Maybe I _should_ come on a little strong."

That made Erwin laugh softly. Mike and Nanaba had been interested in each other for over a year, and it took this long for them to begin chipping away at the ice and expanding their relationship beyond professional. "If that were the case, I doubt she'd be having these lunch dates with you. Whatever you're doing, it seems to be working."

"Yeah, we'll see." Mike slipped on his jacket. "Talk to you later."

He didn't state the obvious; that he was still concerned with Erwin's decision to play along with Levi's story that he was the father of his baby. That was one of the things Erwin appreciated about Mike. The man could give his opinion on matters without heavily investing himself in the situation. Erwin watched his friend leave the office, and he sat down to go over his paperwork regarding Levi's case.

The minutes seemed to tick by more slowly, and Erwin found himself counting them far too closely. He'd told Levi he would call him that evening. It was hard for him to resist making that phone call earlier than scheduled. He wanted to see him again, wanted to check in on him and confirm that he was all right. Erwin knew how hard it was for addicts to kick the habit, and Levi had more reasons than most to relapse.

"Hange, take care of him," he muttered to himself. Right now, she was Levi's best chance at staying clean.

* * *

When Erwin finally did call Levi after five o'clock, he was surprised by the suggestion he received.

"We have to go on a date."

The alpha stared blankly at the wooden paneling of the walls of his living room. "I beg pardon?"

"A date," clarified Levi in a less than patient tone. "How am I gonna sell the story that you knocked me up if we don't go on at least one date, idiot?"

Erwin was too mystified to be offended by the insult. "I...see. Have you even been released from the hospital yet?"

"Hange's releasing me today," explained the omega. "She wants me to check in regularly with her and I'll be going to rehab three times a week. My cousin's going to come stay with me for a little while, and I'm going to see if I can work at my old job. I don't know how that's going to pan out yet. They'll hire me back but...I don't know. It might be too triggering for me. Guess I'll have to wait and see."

Erwin's heart went out to him. "I think it's very brave of you to try, in any case. When and where should we have this date?"

"You can pick me up tomorrow night," Levi decided. "Mikasa will be here, so we can do a short introduction. I'll book a room at a hotel and stay there overnight. It'll lend credence to our story."

"You don't need to pay for a hotel room, Levi. I have a spare room at my place that you can stay in."

There was a moment of silence on the other line, and Erwin realized that he might have overstepped himself with his suggestion. "I swear to you that I won't lay a hand on you. You can lock the door. I'm just trying to save you some trouble and money."

"I...I'll think about it," Levi finally said after several moments. "Hey, I know you're a good guy. I wouldn't have asked you to do this otherwise. I'm just...fuck, you're still..."

"An alpha," finished Erwin gently. "I understand, Levi. Whatever you're most comfortable with is fine. It was only a suggestion."

Erwin heard a slow intake of breath. He could only imagine what it must be like for Levi to plot this out. "Okay. I'll take it into consideration," said the omega. "Where do you want to go?"

This was the strangest date Erwin had ever been asked to go on, and he fell back on the safest option he could think of. "Dinner? Perhaps a movie? Is there anything playing that you would like to see?"

"Hmm. Dinner and a movie. Not bad." Levi mused over it for a moment. "I like Japanese food. Haven't looked at what's playing in the theaters, but as long as it's not a crime film or some chick flick, I'm easy."

"Maybe a comedy," suggested Erwin, "and I like Japanese, too. There's a great Hibachi place I could take you to."

"Do they have authentic ramen?" asked Levi.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," promised Erwin with a grin. "I had some just last week. I see you have distinguished taste."

"When it comes to tea and food, yeah. Shit, I can't remember the last time I had good ramen." Levi sighed in a nostalgic way, a stark reminder that the poor guy had been missing out on so many things people took for granted. "All right, I like your idea. We can work out the movie option when you pick me up. I guess you've already got my address?"

Erwin felt the urge to squirm uncomfortably. "Yes, I do. I almost feel like some stalker, Levi."

"Don't," insisted the omega. "You're a cop and I'd expect you to know details like that when you're working on my case. I get it, and I...trust you."

Hearing him say that lifted Erwin's spirits. He didn't know why Levi's approval meant so much to him, except that he reminded Erwin of some wild animal that only he could get close to. "Thank you. Is five a good time for me to pick you up, or would you rather it be later?"

"Five sounds good," agreed Levi. "That'll give us time to eat before we decide on a movie. How fancy is this restaurant you want to take me to? I mean, should I dress up or is it casual?"

"I would say business casual," replied Erwin. "You don't need a suit, but dress nicely."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow then. Just FYI, this is the only date we need to go on. I'll say we went for drinks after the film and things got out of hand. That should be enough."

"I...see." Erwin suffered unreasonable disappointment, and he had to remind himself of why he was doing this in the first place. He wasn't trying to woo Levi for the sake of becoming a permanent lover. He was doing this to help him with his cover story so that his friends and family wouldn't know how he got pregnant. "I do have one question, though."

"Go for it," encouraged the omega.

"How is your cousin going to react to this? Granted, I know nothing about her, but according to Hange she isn't the sort of young lady one should aspire to pissing off."

Levi snorted. "Heh. Good question. Well, Mikasa is...I guess she's a lot like me. She keeps her cool under most circumstances, but she'll fuck you up if you cross her."

"Wonderful," sighed Erwin.

"Don't sweat it," Levi insisted. "I'll handle Mikasa. It's her boyfriend Eren she's most protective of. She knows I'm an adult and even if she shoots glares at you because she thinks you knocked me up, I can talk her down. You're not afraid of a little girl, are you?"

Erwin found himself smiling at the teasing note in Levi's voice. "I've known plenty of 'little girls' that could lay a man to waste. Trust me, I don't underestimate people based on gender or genetic types."

Levi was silent for a minute, and when he spoke again, there was some respect in his voice. "Yeah, I figured that much out about you. Don't be late picking me up tomorrow, chief."

"I'll be there on the dot," enthused Erwin. His heart was beating fast. For a fake date, he was getting awfully excited about it.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Mikasa said as Levi studied himself in the mirror and straightened up the cravat he wore around his throat, "This police officer—"

"Chief," corrected Levi. "He's the chief of police."

"All right, the _chief_ of our city police," she sighed, "he found you two cities away, had you transported here and now he's taking you on a date?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with that?" More or less satisfied with his appearance, Levi turned around to present himself to his younger cousin. "How do I look? Think the cravat's too much?"

"It looks fine," Mikasa said, "but I find it strange that you're going out with the law. You've always expressed so much contempt for the police."

Levi shrugged. He'd considered that when he came up with this idea. "The guy's too hot for me to let that get in the way. You'll see what I mean when you meet him."

"Somehow I don't believe looks would be enough to persuade you," she told him dryly. "I still remember how you publicly humiliated that lawyer who asked you out last year. I thought the man was going to cry over the way you rejected him."

Levi had forgotten all about said lawyer, and Mikasa's reminder of him gave him pause. The guy had been nearly as gorgeous as Erwin, but he had a sleazy aura about him that immediately turned Levi off. "Oi, some people just have a taint to them that makes me want to puke. This guy isn't like that, so lay off."

He hadn't meant to be so snappy, but her observation made Levi again question his own instincts. He was usually so good at detecting evil in people. Why had he failed to see it in his kidnapper? Why hadn't his fine instincts warned him in time to prevent being kidnapped?

"You've gone pale," Mikasa observed with a frown. She stepped closer to him. "Levi, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I guess it's just nerves." That was true enough. This would be the first date Levi had been on in months, regardless of the reasons behind it. He hoped to hell his instincts about Erwin Smith weren't wrong. He hoped he wasn't making another huge mistake.

"You must really like this man." Mikasa gave him a faint smile. "I haven't seen you this worked up over a date for as long as we've known each other."

Levi shrugged, maintaining an air of casualty. "I'm going against my principles. Like you said; I don't usually rub up against the law. Let's hope I'm not wrong about this guy."

"We could make it a double-date," she suggested. "I can call Eren up and go with you, if it would make you feel more secure."

At any other given time, Levi might have been tempted to take her up on that. It wouldn't work for his plans, though. "Thanks, but I'll take a raincheck on that. I want to get to know this guy and with your loudmouth boy-toy along for the ride, that would complicate things."

Mikasa's expression darkened, casting her lovely features in shadow. "Eren is _not_ a 'boy toy', and he isn't that loud."

"Damn, look at you." Levi smirked at her. "Can't even criticize the bastard without you bristling like a she-wolf. Take it easy; I like him better than the last guy you were with."

Mikasa's tension eased, and she looked faintly embarrassed. "I suppose I'm just touchy when it comes to him. He's so...open about his feelings. I feel like I need to defend him."

"No shit," Levi stated dryly. "In any case, it's nice to see you so into a guy. Hope he's worth it."

"He is," vowed Mikasa.

The doorbell rang, and Levi gave a start. "That's Erwin."

Of course it was Erwin. Who the fuck else would it be? Levi checked himself out in the mirror again. For a fake date, he realized he was putting a lot of effort into his appearance. The gray button-down shirt was free of wrinkles or creases, the cravat couldn't be any straighter and the black trousers molded to his legs perfectly. Still, he felt like it wasn't good enough.

"You look fine," Mikasa assured him. "Go and answer the door. I want to meet the man that inspired you to fuss so much over your appearance."

Levi saw the pink blossom across his own cheeks in his reflection. Damn, he really was acting like a lovesick moron. He collected himself, and he went to answer the door. As soon as he opened it, the greeting he'd been prepared to give died on his lips.

Erwin Smith was fucking smoking. Not a cigarette, but in the sense of being so hot looking that Levi was surprised there wasn't steam rising from the man. He wore a deep blue shirt under a white blazer with matching trousers. The color of his attire seemed to bring out the blue of his eyes even more, and a gold watch adorned his right wrist.

"Good evening," said the blond softly when Levi just stared up at his towering form. His gaze swept over the omega with veiled approval. "You look very nice, Levi."

_~Words. I'm supposed to use words right about now. Shit, where's my tongue?~_

"Uh, you too," Levi finally verbalized. His face felt hot again, and he cursed his suddenly low blush factor. Hormones. That had to be the culprit. He was pregnant, and pregnancy caused emotions and shit.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Mikasa persisted, coming up beside Levi. She had a very subtle smirk on her lips, and her dark gray eyes betrayed some amusement. His stunned state of being clearly wasn't lost on her.

"Mikasa, this is Erwin," Levi said mechanically. "Erwin, Mikasa. Now you've met."

"My pleasure," said Erwin politely. "Are you ready to go, Levi?"

"Yeah. I'm ready." He shot a warning look at his cousin, though Mikasa was far too disciplined to let her humor over the situation drive her to embarrass him.

"Have a good time," encouraged Mikasa, giving Levi a knowing glance. She switched her gaze to Erwin and suddenly, she became all business. "Please make sure he makes it home safely. Levi's been through a lot."

Levi wanted to kick her. Instead, he gritted his teeth.

"I know he has," agreed Erwin solicitously, his tone solemn. "I'll take very good care of him, Miss."

"Don't wait up," advised Levi through his teeth. Yes, Erwin would take good care of him...more than Mikasa could even bargain for.

* * *

Erwin conducted himself as a gentleman, though in all honesty, he found it hard not to stare at his date. Levi was obviously enjoying the ramen he'd ordered, but he ate in a manner that was almost delicate. His deft use of the chopsticks fascinated the policeman, and it was a delight for him to watch Levi suck the noodles into his mouth. He had the cutest little pouty lips, and the way he dabbed at them with a napkin after each mouthful was just adorable.

"How is it?" Erwin asked him after taking another sip of his side of miso soup.

Levi nodded, and he dabbed his lips again. "Good. A lot better than the ramen I had at the last place I tried."

"We could order some sake to go with it." Erwin winced as soon as the words left his mouth. Offering alcohol to a pregnant omega was definitely not a wise thing to do.

"Uh, yeah. I think I'll have to pass on that," Levi muttered, also recalling his condition.

"I'm sorry," Erwin swiftly apologized, keeping his voice low. "I wasn't thinking."

Levi shrugged it off. "You're entitled to mistakes. I keep forgetting, too. It's still sinking in."

"How about some quail egg shooters?" offered the blond. "They're quite good."

Levi grimaced. "Usually I'd say yes, but raw eggs don't sound appetizing to me right now. I can't even look at the sashimi menu without feeling queasy, and that's usually my go-to appetizer."

"I understand," soothed Erwin. He wanted to learn more about this fascinating young man, but he was wary of delving into Levi's situation too deeply. Perhaps he should let the omega set the tone?

"Tell me about yourself," encouraged Erwin. He pinched a piece of his teriyaki steak between his chopsticks. "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"I dunno. Listen to music, I guess. I like to read, too." Levi ate another bite of his food, picking up one of the soft-boiled egg halves. He wiped his mouth again before going on. "I prefer mysteries. I'm not big on TV shows, but I like to watch the weather and news channels."

"So you lean toward the educational." Erwin smiled. "I tend to prefer that myself, though I admit I have a weakness for horror movies."

"Heh. With your job, I'd think you get enough horror in real life." Levi sobered as he said it, and he turned his cup of hot tea absently.

"I do see a lot of disturbing things," admitted Erwin, "but it isn't all terrible. I've also witnessed some real miracles in my line of work."

"Yeah? Like what?" Levi's half-lidded gray eyes met his curiously.

Erwin found that stare so mesmerizing that he couldn't avoid speaking his thoughts honestly. "Like seeing someone rise above a tragedy. Seeing them fight on, refusing to give up even in the most difficult situations. To me, that's a miracle."

Levi's throat worked as he swallowed, and for a brief moment, he looked openly, heartbreakingly vulnerable. He glanced to the side, and when he spoke, his voice trembled a bit. "Are you always so personally involved in your cases?"

Erwin shook his head slowly. "No."

Levi met his gaze again. "Then why are you doing this? What's so special about me?"

Erwin didn't know how to answer that. He wasn't expecting Levi to come right out and ask such a pointed question. "Honestly, I don't know. I could tell you that I feel for you, which would be true, but I always feel for people in a situation like yours. This isn't the first time we've rescued someone from a kidnapper or an abusive situation. I can guarantee that it won't be the last. It's just that...from the moment I saw you, something touched me about you. You're unlike anyone else I've ever witnessed in such a terrible circumstance, Levi."

The blond dared to reach out and lay a big hand over Levi's smaller one, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You are a survivor. There's a strength in you that I can't help but admire."

Levi didn't pull away. He looked down at the larger hand covering his own, and he spoke in a low voice. "What choice is there but to survive? I'm just trying to live. It's basic instinct, right?"

"You could use that argument and most would agree," reasoned Erwin, "but you're doing more than simply surviving, Levi. People who've lived through something like you have aren't generally capable of picking up the pieces this quickly. I can't name a single victim that would be as brave as you've been. Most would have...ah, forgive me for saying it, but most in your situation would have been to an abortion clinic as soon as possible."

Levi was silent for several moments. He swallowed again, and he reached for his tea with his free hand to take a sip of it. "Half the time I think I'm out of my fucking mind for going through with this. If I think about it for too long, I start to panic. I want a fix so bad but...shit, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's all right," assured Erwin. He squeezed Levi's hand again, and his chest ached. "It isn't your fault. The fact that you've detoxed and stayed clean for this long is more than impressive, and I want you to know that you can always call me if you feel like you're about to give in. I will be here for you, Levi, as much as I possibly can be."

"How can you be this fucking good?" demanded the omega, pulling his hand out of Erwin's grip. "You don't even know me, but you're bending over backwards for me. I keep waiting for the catch but so far you're not showing me one."

Erwin gave him a pained smile. "I wish I were as good as you think I am. As I told you before, however; I don't fully understand what motivates me to be so involved in your life. All that I know is that I want to help you. I want to see you recover from this as much as you possibly can. It's important to me, and I've given up on making sense of why."

Levi blew a sigh, and he put his teacup down. "Well, at least you're honest. So what movie are we gonna see after this?"

Erwin took his cue, accepting the hint that the personal conversation was over with. He hadn't even wanted to bring up Levi's situation to begin with, but he supposed it was unavoidable subject matter. "It depends on how stupid you like your comedy to be."

Levi snorted. "Oh yeah? What's that mean?"

Erwin shrugged. "There's intelligent comedy, slapstick comedy and outright toilet humor. I thought I'd let you be the one to decide."

Levi smirked at him. "All right. Give me the list of options and I'll tell you what I think."

* * *

Levi had to admit that it was out of character for himself to pick the dumbest comedy possible. As much scat jokes as he made, he really wasn't a fan of toilet humor. However, he felt like he needed something senselessly foolish that didn't require much thought to get the humor in it. He also felt that he needed to throw a curve ball Erwin's way, because the man saw into him too much and Levi wasn't used to people reading him that well.

Erwin was gracious about his choice, even if he expressed some mild surprise over Levi picking "Dirty Bastards" as their movie. It was godawful stupid, taking place in the wild west with the most obnoxious and abrasive comedian as the lead actor. It was also just what Levi needed to unwind. Most of the raw, in-your-face humor failed to garnish so much as a chuckle from him, but Levi could appreciate the fact that people were so depraved as to pay money to see such garbage.

There was one point in the film where one of the cowboys went to take a dump and accidentally sat on a cactus in the process, and that made Erwin laugh deep and loud. Levi was startled by the sound, and he stared at his date with subtle amazement. While he didn't personally see the humor in the scene, Levi could definitely appreciate his companion's laugh. It was rich, flowing and totally uninhibited.

"You've got a weird sense of humor," muttered Levi under his breath, not loudly enough for Erwin to hear it.

It struck Levi then that if things were different, he really _could_ toss away his morals and ride this man until his eyes rolled back in his head. Erwin Smith was the kind of guy that could keep someone up at night, the kind of guy that could shatter someone's heart. He was fucking beautiful.

_~But it can't happen. This isn't a real date and I doubt I could even let him touch me without losing my shit, no matter how nice he is.~_

With that depressing realization came the nausea. Levi had been doing okay for the most part, only suffering one or two bouts of morning sickness since confirming the pregnancy. Now his gorge was rising swiftly, and his mouth started to salivate. He got up, putting a hand over his mouth as his stomach began to heave.

"Levi?" came Erwin's concerned inquiry.

"The gummie bears aren't agreeing with me," excused the omega, slipping past his date to squeeze out of the isle. "Be right back."

"Here, let me help you," offered the blond, getting up as well.

"I've got it," insisted Levi.

He ignored the curious looks he got from other movie-goers as he hurried up the stairs to exit the theater. He barely made it into the men's room on time to get into a stall before he saw his dinner and dessert in reverse. So much for the nice meal Erwin had bought for him. Levi heaved up everything in his stomach until he was dry-retching, and he folded his arms over the toilet seat and rested his forehead on them. After breathing deeply for a few moments, he flushed the toilet with a distasteful grimace. Hygienic-minded as he was, it made him feel even more nauseated to put his arms on a toilet seat that had god only knew how many butts sitting on it before he arrived.

"Levi, are you in here?"

Levi swallowed, and his voice sounded raw to his own ears as he answered the worried question his date asked of him. "Yeah. I'm okay."

He came out of the stall, carefully avoiding Erwin's concerned blue gaze as he approached the sink to rinse his mouth and wash his hands.

"Maybe I should take you home," suggested Erwin, watching him tidy up.

Levi shook his head, splashed a little cold water on his face and grabbed a paper towel to dab it off. "No, that would ruin the plan. I'll be okay. It just snuck up on me."

_~Fuck, I want a fix.~_

The thought crept up on Levi, infuriating him. He looked at his reflection, taking note of the bleached pallor of his complexion, the bloodless shade of his lips. He hated himself. He hated that desperation in his own eyes. He was looking at a junkie.

"Goddamn it!"

His fist snapped out, and Levi's reflection suddenly became fractured and cracked. Blood smeared the center of the webbed break in the mirror, and he drew back with the intention of striking it again. Strong arms caught him up from behind, and Levi saw Erwin's alarmed face looming over his shoulder in the looking glass.

"Levi, stop!"

He struggled, barely aware he was even doing it. He didn't even know why he'd lashed out at himself that way, except that he felt like he'd stared into the eyes of a stranger. His breath hitched, and a sob tore past his lips.

"Easy," Erwin muttered into his ear, restraining him from behind. "Let it go. Just let it go."

His tone rather than his words got through to Levi. Erwin's voice was like a soothing balm on a raw, open wound. Levi sagged in the taller man's arms, turning his head to the side. He started to cry, and that alone was terrible to him. It wasn't like he'd never cried before in his life, but to do it in front of someone else was humiliating.

"I...hate him," Levi managed, his strength giving out.

"I know," assured Erwin. He nuzzled Levi's hair, holding him almost as a lover. "You have every right to hate the man who did this to you."

"N-no," Levi corrected. He looked at the broken mirror, at the bright stain of his blood on it. His right hand was stinging and throbbing, and he wondered if he'd broken it. "I mean me. I h-hate me."

Through the mirror, he could see the dawning expression on Erwin's handsome face, and the pity. "Don't think like that. One of the most common things in your situation is victim blaming, but it's never the victim's fault, do you hear me?"

"Then whose is it?" Levi sniffed. "If I'd have just—"

"No, Levi," stated Erwin firmly. "Don't even go there. You didn't ask for this. The only one at blame is the man who kidnapped you. Nobody can predict something like this happening to them, and no matter how strong a person is, they can't look into the future. You are _not_ at fault."

Levi shivered, and he leaned back into the taller man's embrace without consciously thinking about it. He would have expected himself to recoil, especially when Erwin restrained him. He didn't feel threatened, though. It defied all logic, yet his body craved the alpha's nearness...craved his protection.

"I'm...all right," Levi said at last. "Hand hurts like a bitch, though."

Erwin relaxed his hold on him, and he turned Levi around gently. He took the injured hand and examined it. "This really isn't how I wanted our date to end, but I think I may need to take you to the emergency room."

"What about Hange? She said to call her anytime. I'd rather her look at it than some stranger."

"All right," agreed Erwin. "We'll call Hange. Hopefully you haven't done serious damage and won't need surgery."

* * *

Hange met up with them at Erwin's place. Obviously watching the rest of the film wasn't an option, so Erwin drove them to his apartment and made arrangements with the doctor to come there. She cleaned up Levi's hand, wrapped it and gave him some pain medication. Once he was settled and resting on Erwin's couch, she took the blond outside on the balcony to speak with him.

"All right, tell me what happened. I assume from the lack of a black eye that he didn't do this to himself punching you."

"No, he punched a mirror," explained Erwin. "Everything was going fine until he got sick at the theater. I joined him in the men's room and he suddenly had a breakdown. He said he hated himself, and that's why he took a swing at the mirror."

Hange grimaced and clicked her tongue. "Poor baby. Well, it was a good thing you were there. His hand isn't broken, but I want him to come in for an x-ray tomorrow to make sure he didn't cause a hairline fracture."

"Of course," agreed Erwin. "I'll drive him myself if he wants. I just want to ensure he's all right."

Hange studied him quietly.

"What?" demanded Erwin, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

"Oh, it's nothing." She spread her hands and smiled. "I was just thinking to myself that for a guy who's just going through a farce to help Levi save face, you're acting an awful lot like a hubby."

"I'm just concerned for his well-being," excused Erwin. "I know that a relationship is the last thing Levi wants right now. He needs support and therapy, not a lover."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, "but still, I have some concern for you."

"Me? Why?" Erwin frowned at her.

Hange sighed, and she leaned back against the balcony railing. "Have you really thought this plan through? Levi's already told me all about it, and while I'm thrilled that you're being his knight in shining armor, I wonder how it's going to pan out for you. We've known each other for what...five years?"

"More or less," agreed the alpha. "What is your point? I _have_ thought this through, and believe me when I say I took careful consideration before agreeing to it."

"What if you get too attached?" Hange's glasses glinted in the moonlight as she turned her head to meet his eyes. "Not just to Levi, but to that baby he's carrying. I'm not worried about your career, Erwin. I don't believe Levi would do anything to put that in jeopardy. It's your emotional state I'm concerned about."

Erwin puzzled over that. "My emotional state will be fine. I'm trying to help someone that's been through hell, that's all. I feel responsible for him, but I won't delude myself into thinking something more can come of this. Why would I get attached to the baby, anyway? I'll probably never even see it."

"But you're playing the role of its father," warned Hange. "I know you, Erwin. You're going to take this seriously, and you won't be content to just stand on the sidelines like most men would. You'll want to be there for every sonogram, every checkup and every birthing class, because if you weren't it might give people the impression that you don't give a fuck."

"I think that most men would want to participate when it comes to their own child," he reasoned. "Of course I'll be active in this. Nobody would believe our story, otherwise."

"You see? That's exactly my point." Hange snapped her fingers. "You're too noble for your own good. You'll fall into this role harder than you intended to, because that's the sort of man you are. You'll feel that baby kick for the first time, you'll see the sonogram pictures and before you know what hit you, you'll have yourself convinced that it's _your_ baby. Then when the time comes to give it away, do you really think you'll be able to handle it?"

"Hange, I'm not delusional," sighed Erwin. "This is Levi's baby, first and foremost. Whether he decides to go through with the adoption or not, I have zero say over it. I know that, and I'm prepared for it. Parenthood was never something I aspired to in the first place."

"I hear what you're saying," she told him softly, "I just hope you'll still feel that way in eight months. You're a good man, Erwin. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"If you're so against this, why are you helping Levi maintain this cover story?" he demanded.

She dropped her gaze. "Because I feel sorry for him, like you do. Because I think he deserves to have some control over his life. We both need to remember though; Levi is an addict whether he chose to be one or not. Caring for addicts is a real test of one's strength."

"He's doing fine," insisted Erwin. "Aside from his breakdown, he hasn't bowed to the pain he's going through. Give him some credit."

"I _am_ giving him credit," she countered. "Yes, he's doing amazingly well. Better than most in his situation in fact, but let's face it; Levi's situation is unique and the chances of him completely kicking his habit for life are very low. He might make it through this pregnancy without 'falling off the wagon', if only for the sake of that baby. Once it's born, however..."

"You think he'll relapse," finished Erwin for her. He looked back into his apartment through the sliding glass doors. Levi was still on the couch, sipping the cup of chamomile tea that Erwin had brewed for him. "I think he's stronger than that."

"You've never had an addiction problem, and most of the time you don't take such a personal interest in people who do." Hange sighed again. "I know it's hard to think about. I want to believe Levi will stay clean just as much as you do, but I've seen too many instances of people trying to stay clean and failing. Some of them only slip up once or twice. Others go full-tilt and wind up on drugs for life. All of them give into temptation at one point or another. I've never met one that didn't stumble at least once in their attempts at clean living."

Erwin didn't have a rebuttal for that, because he knew the statistics himself. Hange was absolutely right, and no matter how stoic Levi might be, he was bound to trip up like anyone else. "Then I'll just have to protect him from himself."

"And how are you going to do that?" pressed Hange. "You can't be his bodyguard around the clock, Erwin. You have your own life to live, and even without your own work schedule to think about, I doubt Levi would put up with you shadowing him all the time."

"I don't know," admitted Erwin. "I can only help as much as he'll let me, but the least I can do is make it abundantly clear to him that I'll always be available if he needs me."

Hange blinked. "Wow."

"Now what?" Erwin was losing patience.

She shook her shaggy head, eyeing him with fascination. "I think Mike was onto something. He said you were acting a little lovesick, and I think he was right. You're falling for Levi, aren't you?"

"I'm not..." Erwin lowered his voice, aware of the volume of his denial. "I'm not falling for him. How foolish do you think I am? The man probably isn't capable of having a healthy sexual relationship with anyone ever again, let alone an alpha. I'm not in the habit of kidding myself."

"Be that as it may, I stand by my earlier observation." Hange wasn't smiling. If anything, the concern in her eyes became more apparent. "You're every bit the protective husband. I doubt Levi could have done better for himself if he tried."

Erwin fought back a groan. He knew better than to keep arguing with Hange once she was fixated on an idea, though. "Fine. I'm moonstruck. Hopelessly besotted. I'll be serenading him in the moonlight soon, declaring my undying love to a hopelessly traumatized omega that couldn't possibly return my affections if I lived a thousand years longer. Are we finished?"

"Boy, you're getting better at sarcasm," Hange stated dryly. "Yes, we're finished. I'll take my leave so you can moon over your guest. Just keep what I said in mind, for your own protection."

Erwin grumbled under his breath. It vexed him to know that not one, but _two_ of his friends thought they knew his own feelings better than he did. What made it worse was that he feared they were both right.

* * *

-To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

One thing Levi hadn't thought of was to take anything to change into. He hadn't seen the point since he was literally trying to sell the idea that he had a spontaneous one-night stand with Erwin Smith. It would be stupid for him to go out on a date with a change of clothes packed. When he bedded down in Erwin's spare bedroom for the night, he wished he'd at least brought a change of underwear with him. Levi had to settle for sleeping in his clothes, because even though the door had a lock on it and he trusted Erwin well enough, he didn't feel comfortable getting undressed.

He slept uneasily. The single bed was comfortable enough and the sheets were clean and fresh, but his cravings kept waking him up. At one point in the night he broke into a cold sweat and started shaking, and he got a rude reminder of the state of his hand when he impulsively curled it into a fist. Nightmares plagued him as well...nightmares of sweaty alpha flesh sliding against his, restraints and gags. Eventually he managed to get to sleep, only to be woken up in the morning by a soft knock on his door.

"Levi, are you awake?"

His eyes flared open, he remembered where he was and he resisted the temptation to spout off something rude and sarcastic. "Yeah, I'm up."

"I've made waffles, if you feel like having breakfast," explained the police chief. "Afterwards I thought I would take you in for your appointment with Hange to have your hand x-rayed."

"Oh. Right." Levi had forgotten that the doctor wanted him to come in just to be safe. His stomach growled at the mention of breakfast, reminding him that he'd lost his dinner the night before and should probably try to eat something. At least he wasn't feeling any morning sickness today. "Yeah, waffles sound good. I'll be right out."

"Take your time," advised Erwin. "I have blueberries to go with them, if you want."

Levi sighed. Why did the man have to be so...good? He liked him too much. In fact, he was probably the only alpha besides Mikasa's boyfriend that Levi could stand to be around anymore. Eren, though a bit of a loudmouth and a klutz, had always been respectful of Levi and even a little intimidated by him. He didn't make Levi feel threatened at all, but perhaps that was because he was dating Mikasa and hadn't shown an interest in men. As for Erwin, the question really answered itself. The man had rescued him from hell, and he'd been nothing but kind to Levi since they'd met.

He couldn't think like that, though. It was too dangerous. Alphas had an influence on omegas whether they meant to or not, and getting into a relationship with one of them could substantially risk Levi's independence. He had only to recall his forced pair-bond with his kidnapper to remind himself of the disparity of power between an alpha and an omega.

Telling himself to keep his head and avoid letting Erwin Smith's charisma and charm get to him, Levi got out of the bed and made it. He slipped his shoes on and left the room to join his host in the kitchen. Levi rather liked Erwin's apartment. It had a rugged feel to it, almost like a cabin with the wooden paneling and the hard wood floors. The wall hangings were mostly nature scenery, and Levi covertly wondered if Erwin ever went hunting or fishing. Fortunately if he did, the man had the good taste not to display any of his kills as deco. Levi always thought it was sick the way some people mounted dead, preserved animal carcasses on their walls as trophies.

"There you are," greeted Erwin with a smile when Levi took a seat at the dining table. "Do you want blueberries on your waffles?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah. No syrup, though. It's too sweet for me now."

"I understand. Butter?"

"A little, please."

Erwin used a butter knife to slice a square off of the stick he had out on a tray, and then he scooped up a spoonful of blueberries to deposit them on top. He brought Levi's plate to the table along with a fork and knife, and then he prepared his own plate before joining him.

"Did you sleep comfortably?" asked the blond, drizzling a little maple syrup onto his waffles.

"Not bad," fibbed Levi. In truth, he doubted he'd have slept much better in his own bed. Restlessness had become an even bigger problem for him than it had been before he was abducted.

"I know that mattress is a little hard," excused Erwin. "I bought it with my friend Mike in mind. You remember him, don't you?"

"The big guy I beamed in the head?" Levi smirked a little. "Yeah, I remember. So I guess you two are pretty tight?"

"We went to the academy together," explained Erwin. "Sometimes when we work late on a case, he'll sleep over. He doesn't like soft mattresses."

"It felt fine to me." Levi took an experimental bite of his waffle. It was slightly burnt, but the blueberries made up for it. He glanced at Erwin to see the man watching him chew, and he felt suddenly self-conscious. "Do I have something on my face?" He wiped at his mouth with the napkin sitting next to his plate.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry, I was just watching you eat."

The omega put his napkin down and cut another piece from his waffle. "I don't think I eat any differently than other people."

"You're...ah, how do I put it? You're very fastidious about it." Erwin smiled. "You eat like a cat. I almost expect you to lick your fingers between bites."

"Pfft, okay. Licking myself isn't something you'll ever have to worry about seeing me do, though."

Erwin laughed, again demonstrating how freely he could do it. His smile gave Levi pause, and impulsive words flew out before he could stop them. "You've got a really nice smile."

Erwin sobered, tilting his head. "Do you think so?"

It was too late to take it back, so Levi just shrugged. "Better than most. Your eyes light up when you laugh, too. It's...uh...genuine, I guess."

"As opposed to fake laughter?" Erwin smiled again.

"You'd be surprised how many people fake it." Levi reached for the glass of milk Erwin had set down for him, but as soon as he brought it to his lips, he changed his mind. "Shit, I think I've gained an intolerance to lactose or something. The smell alone makes me queasy."

Erwin reached for the glass when Levi put it down. "Then I'll take this away. Would you rather have juice? I have orange and apple."

"Let's try the apple. It's less acidic, and I don't want to take any chances."

Erwin nodded, and he got up to pour a fresh glass of said juice for Levi. The omega watched his host from behind while Erwin prepared the beverage, and he looked away when his eyes drifted to the blond's ass.

_~Jesus, can't I stop thinking with my dick? What the hell's the matter with me? I was fucking raped for three months.~_

It humiliated Levi to have such impulses after what he'd been through. He shouldn't be looking twice at other men, let alone an alpha. He'd been so convinced that his experience would kill his sex drive for life, but Erwin Smith managed to be the exception to that rule. Hormones. It had to be his hormones. Levi had heard that some omegas and women got hornier at certain stages of pregnancy. He must fall under that category, because he couldn't reconcile the idea that he might be feeling these stirrings for any other reason.

"Here you go," Erwin said, bringing the glass of juice to him. "I also have some lemon-lime soda you can sip on if it might help settle your stomach."

"This should be fine," Levi said, avoiding staring at the opening in Erwin's shirt when the taller male bent over to place the glass on the table. "Thanks."

"My pleasure."

Erwin took his seat at the table again, and the conversation was put on hold while the two men ate their breakfast. Erwin finished his first, and he gave Levi another view of his ass while he put his plate and silverware in the dishwashing machine. Levi groaned, and the blond looked back over his shoulder at him.

"Are you all right? You don't need to feel obligated to finishing it if you're getting full or feeling sick."

"I'm fine." Nausea was the least of Levi's worries right now. He was getting a boner, and that betrayal of his body made him want to punch himself right in the crotch. How _dare_ his cock swell up? The last thing he should be thinking about was sex, and he blamed it on the thing growing inside of him.

"What time are we leaving for the appointment?" Levi asked. As much as he didn't revel in the thought of doing it, he felt like he needed to bring up his problem to Hange. Maybe it was psychological. Maybe some part of him really had asked for what happened to him and he got off on getting raped.

"We can leave as soon as you want," said Erwin. He gazed at Levi with subtle concern. "How is your hand feeling?"

Levi glanced down at the bandaged appendage. "It's sore, but I can move all my fingers. The swelling's gone down a little since last night."

"Good. Hopefully that means you don't have a fracture."

Levi had one last bite of his waffle, and he decided he'd better not push his luck trying to finish the rest of it. "That's all I can eat. I'm afraid I'll puke if I try to finish it."

"It's all right." Erwin retrieved the plate from him, and he disposed of the remaining food before putting the dish in the washer. "At least you got most of it down. I'm sorry that I don't have a spare toothbrush you can use."

Levi shrugged. "I can brush when I get home. Let's get this doctor appointment over with, shall we?"

* * *

Hange confirmed that there was no bone trauma present after taking a couple of x-rays. She spoke to Erwin alone after leaving the room with him.

"How did things go last night?"

"Fine," Erwin responded. "Levi slept in the spare bedroom. I'm taking him home after we leave here, and I suppose he'll let me know when he tells his friends and family the story he's come up with."

"So you're really going through with this." Hange patted him on the shoulder. "You're a brave man."

"I've already sworn to help him," reasoned Erwin. "My part in this is easy, compared to his. As much as you worry about me, consider what Levi's going to have to go through."

"I realize that, and I wish none of this had happened to him." Hange scratched the back of her head underneath her ponytail. "There's no way to undo it, though. All that we can do now is wait and see how he handles things."

"It will be hard on him, but I have faith." Erwin put his hands in his pockets, and he looked at the closed door to the examination room Levi was in. "He may never have a normal life. If I had the power to change that for him, I would."

"I wouldn't toss that possibility under the bus just yet," remarked Hange craftily.

Erwin frowned at her. "Weren't you the one cautioning me about getting too close to an addict? Not to mention, the trials he's been through have probably damaged all hope of him having a healthy sex life ever again."

"True, Levi has a long road of recovery ahead of him, both physically and mentally. He's going to have major trust issues, possibly for the rest of his life. That still doesn't negate his natural urges and I just got proof of that a little while ago."

Erwin was admittedly thrown by the statement. He had no reason to suspect that Levi had any interest in Hange, but perhaps after his ordeal, Levi's tastes might have shifted toward women. "Do I even want to know what you mean by that?"

Hange gave him a crooked grin. "You should see the panic on your face. Don't worry, he didn't come onto me if that's where your thoughts are drifting. Levi did admit to me that he's feeling some confusion, however. Seems somebody gave him a happy and he doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Somebody?" Erwin mentally reviewed what he knew of Levi's associates, and his suspicions immediately went to the blond guy named Farlan.

"I'm talking about you," Hange told him dryly. "Levi admitted to me that he thinks you're sexy."

Erwin blinked. "He did?"

Hange nodded. "For a man who's usually so observant of others, you can be clueless when it comes to realizing when you're getting checked out. Now, don't make a big deal of this because you and I both know Levi's in no place right now to get involved with someone. I'm only telling you because his future is so important to you. There's hope for him, Erwin. Whatever happens in the future, his experience hasn't destroyed Levi's chances of one day having some normalcy in his life again. It's just going to take time."

Erwin's heart thudded hard. Of course he had no intention of making a move on the traumatized omega, but hearing that Levi found him attractive was exhilarating. He checked himself, recalling the warning Hange had issued to him the night before. Whomever loved Levi Ackerman was due for a sincere challenge. That was just a simple fact that he had to face, and Erwin was very much aware of the ruin Levi could bring upon him if he let himself be that person.

"I hope some day he can," he said at last. "He deserves to be treated right."

_~Even if it's by someone else besides me.~_

* * *

The day came for Levi to inform his cousin of his condition. He put it off for as long as possible, but when he could no longer fit into his pants he knew it was time to stop procrastinating. He sat down with Mikasa and Eren for dinner, wearing a pair of jogging pants for lack of any other choice. Both of them looked at him oddly, and who could blame them? Levi ordinarily wouldn't be caught dead dressing so sloppy, and the only reason he had the track pants at all was because Isabel bought them as a gift for his last birthday.

"Trying a new look?" Mikasa asked, shaking some salt onto her peas.

Levi glanced sidelong at Eren, not particularly eager to launch into his story in front of the alpha. Eren avoided his gaze, too wary of insulting Levi by commenting on his attire himself. There was no help for it. Levi was going to have to buy maternity clothes soon if he didn't want to go pantless.

"Yeah, I've got to loosen up the wardrobe a bit," Levi said. "At least around the waistline."

Mikasa eyed him, her gaze scanning him quietly. "I wasn't going to say anything, but I've noticed your waist getting a little thicker. You haven't been to the gym lately, either. It isn't like you to let yourself go."

"I'm not letting myself go," he defended. "This isn't caused by over-eating, and I haven't been to the gym because I've got to take it easy on the exercise for a while."

Eren finally spoke up, watching Levi with curious green eyes. "Are you sick?"

"Not exactly." Levi put a hand over his belly. "Except in the mornings sometimes."

It was then that it sank in for both of them. Levi could see the realization hit Mikasa as her eyes widened. "You can't be. L-Levi, are you pregnant?"

He couldn't resist sarcasm. "And we have a winner. A Kewpie doll for the lady."

"Holy shit," blurted Eren, staring at Levi's stomach as if he expected a baby to come flying out of it at any moment. "How?"

Levi raised a brow at him. "How do you think, moron? Judging by the noise you two make when you stay over, I'm pretty sure Mikasa's been putting out."

Mikasa flushed. "I think he meant who and why. When did this happen and weren't you using any protection?"

"It happened a little over a month ago," Levi said, reciting the excuse he'd formulated in his head. "That night I went out on a date with the police chief and didn't come home until the next afternoon. We had some drinks after the movie and things got out of hand. Woke up in his bed the next day with hardly any memory of what happened."

Mikasa groaned, and she rubbed her forehead. "I can't believe this. You are the _last_ person I'd have expected this to happen to."

"Hey, we all make mistakes," defended Levi. "I'm owning mine. I'm going to have it and give it up for adoption. In the meantime, I need you to stop looking at me like something you scraped off your shoe and try to be a little fucking supportive, all right?"

"Levi, I'm trying to be supportive," defended Mikasa, "but you just dropped this on my head with no warning. What are you going to do about work? As for owning your mistake, is the father going to do the same, or have you even told him?"

"Erwin knows," Levi assured her. "He's going to help out when he can."

"How?" demanded Mikasa. "I don't see a wedding ring on your finger."

"Are we really gonna go there?" Levi narrowed his eyes at her. "Since when are you equipped with the authority to play the role of an outraged parent, anyway? It's not your place to worry about how me and Erwin handle this. It was a one-night stand, not a lifetime commitment. We screwed up and we're going to deal with it. I'm qualified to take maternity leave from work when I get too heavy."

"Is that going to be enough to support yourself with?" Eren asked. "I know it's not my business, but this is a lot for one person to take on alone."

"Like I said: Erwin's going to help out with my financial needs," reiterated Levi. That part wasn't really true. He hadn't asked Erwin to pitch in, and why should he? The man wasn't really the father of this baby and he was already doing Levi a big favor. He'd figure out how to make ends meet, though. Hange already signed him up for a program for single expecting parents to help him with groceries and basic necessities.

"If he really wants to help, he should cover all of it," huffed Mikasa. "It's the least he could do after getting you in trouble."

"Oi, there were two people there and I was one of them. Erwin didn't hold me down and force this on me."

_~He just saved me from the one who did.~_

Levi of course kept the second part to himself. If he had his way, Mikasa and everyone else in his life would never know about the real circumstances that got him into this.

"Maybe not, but he evidently didn't try to prevent it," Mikasa shot back. "I had the impression that he was a responsible person, but obviously I was wrong about that. Damn it, I even hoped the two of you would become an item, and when he never came around again I just thought it was because you were being too finicky like you always are with men."

"Would you stop with the goddamned critique?" snapped Levi, face heating. Was he really that picky? He never really thought about it, but this was the second time someone had accused him of it. Isabel also told him once that he was too quick to dump boyfriends.

"Mikasa, maybe you should take it easy on him," advised Eren. "It could happen to anyone, even if they use protection. I mean, Levi wasn't dating anyone so why would he have been on the pill? He obviously didn't plan on this happening."

For once, Levi was grateful for Eren's impulsive mouth. "Thanks kid. I'm glad one of you can see reason."

Mikasa sighed. "It's just that you're always so cautious. You never approved of anyone I dated until Eren, and you barely tolerate _him_. Forgive me if it comes as a shock to me that the man who warned me that an erect prick has no conscience is now telling me he got accidentally pregnant."

Levi nearly winced. Her point struck home like a sharp blow, even though her insinuation that he was a hypocrite was further off base than Mikasa could realize. He couldn't blame her for feeling that way, and he'd been the one to come up with this cover story.

"You're right," he finally said, resisting the temptation to lash out and tell her the truth. "I'm a piece of shit for preaching at you about responsible fucking. I can't take it back though, and it's too late to terminate even if I wanted to. All I can do now is try to get through this and move on."

"Are you sure you want to give it up?" Eren asked him. "That's a lot to put your body through just to give the baby away to someone else."

Oh, if only Eren knew. If only _both_ of them could know just how hard this was on Levi, and not because he harbored any love for this child. "I've thought this through carefully," explained Levi. "I didn't make the decision lightly, believe me. Giving up the baby is the best thing, both for me and for the kid. I'm not in any position to raise a brat, and I don't have the temperament to try."

"I think you'd be a better parent than you give yourself credit for," Mikasa advised, "but you know where you are better than I do. I just hope you won't regret it later."

So did Levi. Aborting might have been the better option, but now it was too late to consider that. "If I regret it, I'll just have to live with my choice."

"What about the father?" asked Eren. "Er, I mean the sire. How does he feel about it?"

"Erwin's supportive of it," Levi stated truthfully. "He knows it's my choice and he didn't ask for this anymore than I did. He won't be a problem."

"Of course not," muttered Mikasa. "He can just wash his hands of it and walk away, after all."

"That isn't what he's doing, and if you give him any shit about this, you and I are going to have issues."

She lapsed into silence, and though Levi doubted his cousin would simply let the matter drop, he trusted that she took him seriously enough not to give Erwin too much grief.

* * *

Erwin picked Levi up for a prenatal checkup two weeks later. It would be the first time he'd accompanied him to one, and the blond was shocked by the sight of him when Levi came out of his apartment complex to meet him in the parking lot. Erwin hadn't realized how much time had gone by, and he hadn't seen Levi in person for weeks. He got out of his car and circled around to open the passenger side door for the omega, falling into chivalrous habit once he saw how obvious Levi's condition had become.

"Someone's starting to show," he remarked to the smaller man, his gaze fixated on the gentle curve of Levi's belly.

"Yeah, good for me," grunted the omega as he slid into the passenger seat. "I feel like a bloated pig."

Erwin got into the driver's side, and he smiled at Levi. "You don't look like one."

It was true. Levi looked fantastic. He even had more color to his cheeks than when Erwin last saw him. The gauntness in his face had filled out, giving the omega a healthier countenance than before. The baby bump that was now visible was kind of cute, actually. Levi was wearing a green t-shirt that stretched over his belly, perhaps a tad too tightly. In contrast, the black pants Levi wore appeared almost baggy on his small frame, a little too long in the legs.

"You act like you're seeing me for the first time," Levi observed dryly, buckling his seatbelt. "I don't think I've changed _that_ much."

"I'm sorry. It just didn't occur to me that you're getting into your second trimester." Erwin also buckled up, and he checked his rearview mirror before backing out of his parking spot. "I wasn't expecting you to be showing this much. How have you been feeling?"

Levi shrugged. "Round."

Erwin chuckled. "Yes, well, besides that. You look great, but that's just your appearance. Are you still having morning sickness?"

"No, that stopped a couple of weeks ago. Now I've got food cravings."

"I see. And the...other cravings?" Erwin tried to keep it subtle, unwilling to bring up a sour subject but too concerned to keep his curiosity to himself.

"You mean the drug withdrawals," guessed Levi softly. He looked out the window as the car turned onto the street. "Some days are worse than others. I dream about it sometimes. The high, I mean. Then I wake up with the chills and realize I'm sober."

Erwin frowned. "I can't imagine what that must be like. I used to smoke, but I'm sure quitting that habit was a lot easier than what you're struggling with."

"I wouldn't be so sure," mused Levi. "I hear cigarettes are just as addictive as heroin. That's why so few people manage to quit for good."

"I've heard that too, but I always considered it a scare tactic cooked up by the media. The anti-smoking campaign has gotten a bit obnoxious over the years."

"Maybe. At least my addiction doesn't make my breath smell."

"Good point," conceded the blond with a smirk. "Well, I'm glad to hear you haven't succumbed to temptation. I admit I've been worried about that."

"I might have a couple of times by now, if it was just me." Levi put a hand over his belly. "Not that I really give a damn about this kid, but I'm not gonna be the guy that decided to keep an unwanted pregnancy and then fucked up the baby by doing drugs."

"You really believe you're putting yourself through all of this to save face?" Erwin glanced at him dubiously.

"I told you, I'm doing this for myself," insisted Levi. "Once it's done using me, this brat's going to be out of my life and whatever happens to it after that is no concern of mine. I'm doing my part. It'll be up to someone else to do the rest."

Erwin felt that his argument lacked conviction. He could hear it in Levi's voice like a silent question, as though the man were trying to convince himself of his own words. Erwin wanted to tell him not to forget that this baby was half his, and not just his rapist's. He kept it to himself, not wanting to bring more misery to him.

* * *

"Okay, hop your cute butt up on the examination table and lift up your shirt," Hange instructed Levi. "Time to have your first look at the little fellow."

"I don't want to see it," Levi informed her flatly. "Just do your thing, confirm that the brat's healthy and let us be done with it."

Hange and Erwin exchanged a glance, which Levi chose to ignore. He lay down on the examination table and pulled his shirt up as instructed. He jumped when the doctor tugged the waistline of his pants down to fully expose his stomach, and Hange clucked over him like a hen.

"It's okay. Sorry I didn't warn you before doing that, Levi."

"Whatever." Embarrassed for being so skittish, he took a deep breath and waited while she powered on the machine to give his ultrasound. She warmed up the gel before applying it to the probe.

"You have a full bladder, I hope?" she asked, applying more of the gel to his belly with gloved fingers.

"Yeah, and if you press too hard I'll probably piss all over you," warned Levi. "Hurry it up, this is uncomfortable as hell."

"I'm sorry, my dear. Unfortunately, the full bladder is necessary for a clear scan. All right; here we go. Deep breath, Levi.'

He took her advice, and he twitched impulsively when she put the probe on his stomach. Levi turned his head away from the display as she moved the probe back and forth over his abdomen. For one horrible moment, she pressed down directly on his bladder and he feared he would make good on his warning and wet himself. He gritted his teeth and fought against the urge to piss, and he felt Erwin's big hand settle comfortingly on his shoulder. Levi heard the thump of a heartbeat, and he turned his head without thinking to look at the monitor.

"There it is," Hange pointed out, gesturing at the screen. She grinned. "I always love this part, seeing the looks on people's faces when they catch their first glimpse of...oh."

She caught herself, but not quickly enough. Hange cast a guilty look at Levi, but he hardly noticed it. This was no joyful moment for him. He wasn't here with a spouse, eagerly waiting to see the image of a baby that was planned for and wanted. He was a rape survivor just trying to ensure that the fetus he was unwillingly carrying wasn't going to be born with two heads because of the drugs he'd been on when he conceived. He was there with a cop that for whatever reason had put himself out to help Levi with a lie. There was no happy ending to this story. There was only the chance that Levi might have an easier time recovering from his ordeal if he came out of it with a clearer conscience.

Despite all that, Levi couldn't look away from the blurry image on the screen. He could see the fetus without Hange needing to point it out. It was much smaller than he'd expected, and it looked like it had rolled over and put its back to them.

"I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl," Hange said, "though chances are it's a boy. It's exceedingly rare for alpha and omega pairings to produce beta offspring."

Levi nodded mechanically. His mother had been a beta, of course. His father was an alpha. It was a twist of fate that he'd turned out to be omega, because it was uncommon for an alpha and beta pairing to produce anything other than beta children together.

"I'm sorry to bring it up," Hange apologized to him. "Are you all right?"

Levi honestly didn't know. He'd begun to tremble, and he wondered at first if he was having another withdrawal. They didn't happen that often anymore, but Hange told him it could take as long as a year for him to be rid of them. When Levi's vision blurred, it dawned on him that his trembling was due to un-invited emotions rather than heroin cravings.

"Is it...healthy?" he managed to ask, blinking in an effort to stop the watering of his eyes. The last thing he needed to do was break down and cry in front of his companions.

"Everything looks good," assured Hange. "The heartbeat is strong and I don't see any sign of deformities. We'll take some blood samples as well, but I think you're in the clear."

Again, Levi nodded. He forced himself to look away from the monitor. He didn't know how to deal with this sudden influx of emotion. He would have blamed it on pregnancy hormones, except it didn't hit him until he saw the ultrasound image of his baby.

 _His baby_. Not Derrick's baby, but his. This was the first time Levi had ever thought of it that way. He looked up at Erwin, who was standing over him with a smile. The man seemed fascinated by the ultrasound image, and one would almost think Erwin was staring at his own child on that screen.

"What, you've never seen a smudge on a staticy screen before?" Levi asked impatiently.

Erwin met his eyes, and his smile faded. Levi bit his lip, regretting snapping at the man. He was there for him when he had absolutely no responsibility to do so. Erwin could be enjoying his day off, going to a baseball game or one of those museums he told Levi he was so fond of. Instead he was sitting here with a cranky, knocked-up junkie that didn't even have the decency to show some gratitude.

"Thanks," Levi said, awkwardly contrite. "For coming with me, I mean. That was a dick thing for me to say to you."

Erwin shook his head. "Think nothing of it. I'm sure you're feeling an array of things right now."

Hange observed the exchange quietly for a moment as the two men stared at each other. She took the probe off of Levi's belly, and she spoke softly to him. "Do you want a copy of the image to take home, Levi?"

He swallowed, and he glanced at the still image she'd saved on the screen. "No."

He didn't need a photographic reminder of how shaken this experience had made him. In fact, Levi decided that the next time he got an ultrasound, he would keep his eyes tightly shut until it was over with. He didn't _want_ to see this brat. He didn't want the confusion it caused him, didn't want his resolve to weaken. He was giving this baby up to the first suitable couple he could find once it was born, and that was the best thing for everyone.

"All right," Hange said gently, not pushing the issue. "I'll get the equipment ready to take some blood. You can pee while I'm doing that, if you want."

Levi had even forgotten about his bladder discomfort in his state of emotional turmoil, but now he was starkly aware of it again. He was also aware of the gooey mess on his stomach. "Can you give me something to wipe this shit off first? I don't want to get it all over my clothes."

"Oh, of course!" Hange went to the medical cabinet and she retrieved some wet wipes for him. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Levi pulled a couple of wipes out of the container, and he used them to clean himself up. Erwin helped him sit up when he heard him grunt with the effort. One thing Levi certainly didn't like about his condition was the physical limitations he wasn't used to. He knew that getting up from a chair or bed was only going to get more difficult as he got bigger.

He wouldn't look at his handsome blond companion as Levi finished wiping off and straightened up his clothes. He didn't want to see the pity that was surely stamped on that face.

* * *

If anything, the experience of going with Levi for his appointment only made Erwin even more determined to be involved. He began to bring the omega groceries twice per week so that Levi would have more money to spend on things that he liked. It was uncomfortable when Mikasa was around. The girl glared at Erwin every time he showed up, but to her credit, she never voiced whatever uncharitable thoughts she was thinking about him. He didn't hold it against her. As far as she knew, he was the one that put Levi in this situation and she therefore had every right to dislike him.

He kept his visits brief, always asking after Levi's health, mentally taking note of how much his stomach expanded between each visit and asking Levi if there was anything else he could do for him. He took Levi to his doctor appointments regularly, despite the omega telling him he didn't need to go through so much trouble.

It was no trouble to Erwin. In fact, he didn't think he could sleep at night if he missed a single appointment. Nanaba remarked about it to him one day after witnessing Erwin rushing out of the precinct in a hurry after realizing he was going to be late picking Levi up.

"Chief, I know it isn't any of my business, but is Mr. Ackerman's baby actually yours?"

Erwin paused in the act of taking a sip of his coffee, staring at her. She and Mike both knew about the arrangement he'd made with Levi, but this was the first time she'd said anything to him about it beyond her initial expressed concern that it would turn out badly for him.

"What makes you ask that?" Erwin inquired neutrally.

She shrugged, and she looked down at the file in her hands. "The depth of your involvement in it. I know you said you were doing this because you wanted to help him, but frankly sir, you act more like a man expecting his first child."

Erwin shot a glance over at Mike, who was staying carefully quiet and pretending great interest in something on his computer screen. He could tell by the quick look the other blond gave him that Mike agreed with his girlfriend's assessment. Of course, Mike had already commented before on Erwin's attachment to Levi. He might have even put the idea in Nanaba's head.

"Yes, I've taken it upon myself to watch over Mr. Ackerman," Erwin said at last, "and I've taken that vow seriously. However, the baby he's carrying isn't mine. There's nothing romantic happening between us."

"Doesn't smell like that to me," muttered Mike.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Erwin raised a brow at his friend.

"Both of your scents change when you're near each other," obliged the sharp-nosed officer. "I noticed it the other day when you stopped by the precinct with Levi on your way to his birthing class. You were both giving off mating pheromones."

Erwin was admittedly baffled, though he had to admit Levi's scent was fairly intoxicating to him. Indignantly, he pushed for a change in subject because he could think of no rebuttal for that. "I really hate it when people say it like that. We're men, not rutting beasts."

"So you aren't denying it?" Mike smirked.

"I will admit that I find Levi attractive," Erwin said as evenly as possible. "He may feel the same about me, but it's just as likely that his omega senses are simply reacting to having an alpha taking care of him. He's pregnant, and I'm the closest thing to a husband he has right now. It seems to me it's only natural for him to give off pheromones near me."

The couple glanced at each other, and Nanaba spoke up next. "Be that as it may, we're both concerned for you, Chief. Pardon my saying so, but you seem to be getting too emotionally invested in this omega and his pregnancy."

"Your concern is noted," Erwin told her calmly. "It isn't necessary, however. You both know I've never done anything half-assed, and helping Levi is no exception. When he gives birth and this is all over with, my part in this will be done. Unless new evidence is found that his kidnapper had an accomplice, Levi's case will be closed and we'll go our separate ways."

Mike blew a sigh. "I don't think it's going to be that simple, Erwin."

"And I don't care what you think," snapped the police chief, finally losing patience. "Everyone around me thinks I'm incapable of separating duty from emotion in this instance, and I'm telling you now that isn't going to be an issue. Yes, I may check in on Levi from time to time once this is finished, if only to ensure he stays clean. I'm not, however, going to lose my head and try to date him."

"Nobody's saying you shouldn't date him if that's what you both want," Nanaba reasoned. "God knows that man would be better off with you in his life than some thug, and we've seen too many addicts get back into the habit after hooking up with the wrong people."

Erwin nearly threw his hands up. "Then why are you both interrogating me? First you're cautioning me about getting attached, then you're telling me we would make a good couple. Frankly, I'm beginning to suspect you're trying to drive me insane."

Mike snorted, and Nanaba chuckled. She clarified things before her lover could speak up. "It isn't that we object to you having feelings for him, sir. It's the possibility of you getting too invested in the pregnancy itself that has me personally concerned. That's why I asked if the baby is really yours."

Erwin tilted his head. "So all of this is about the baby? I don't understand."

Mike heaved a sigh, and he got out of his chair to approach Erwin. "Levi's giving that kid up for adoption, Chief. Nanaba wasn't serious when she asked if it's yours. She was trying to make a point."

"And if you were at the top of your game, you would have realized that," Nanaba insisted. "I wasn't exactly subtle. You've been distracted lately, and I've seen expecting husbands less devoted to a pregnancy than you are. I'm just afraid of what it's going to do to you when that baby comes and Levi gives it up."

Erwin parted his lips to again deny the allegations, but something rang true about their concerns. He _was_ attached, he realized. He'd been to every birthing class and doctor's appointment since the day of the ultrasound. He'd even caught himself pausing outside a baby shop and eyeing the cradle displayed in the window, and then he remembered that Levi would have no need for one. He also nearly bought a bag of diapers the last time he'd gone grocery shopping for the omega.

The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. All this time, he'd been telling himself that it was compassion that drove him to be so involved in this. Even when admitting his own attraction to Levi, he'd firmly refused to let himself imagine anything ever happening between them. Should Levi even entertain a small percentage of romantic interest in him, Erwin didn't kid himself into believing he would ever be able to act on it.

At once, Erwin felt panic stirring in his breast. He'd set himself up without even consciously realizing it...made himself vulnerable to heartbreak. The sensible thing for him to do would be to pull out of this now, before it got any worse. He could help Levi from a distance, but it wasn't healthy for him to continue being so directly involved.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and Erwin retrieved it absently. His face felt numb, and he couldn't seem to school his expression into a calm mask. He looked at the cell phone, saw that it was the very man they were discussing calling him and stood there indecisively. He should have let his voice mail get it. Instead, he brought the phone to his ear and answered it, his heart pounding like a jack hammer.

"Hello, Levi. How are you?" Erwin tried to keep his voice polite, but detached.

"Hey." Levi's voice sounded shaken and tight. "I've got a problem. Could you come over?"

Erwin's anxiety increased, but now it was for Levi rather than himself. "What's the matter?"

Erwin heard the chatter of teeth before Levi spoke again. "I'm...having a rough time. I was watching this h-hospital d-drama that Isabel got me into, and there was a scene with two guys shooting up. You said t-to call you if I ever get t-too tempted."

It hadn't even occurred to Erwin that seeing someone use on TV might trigger Levi's addiction. He'd expected the omega to get peer pressured into it if he hung out with any friends that might use, not be tempted by a television show.

"All right, I'm coming over," Erwin assured him. "Don't go anywhere, all right? Where is your cousin?"

"She's been staying at her place again," Levi said. "I told her I don't need her around all the t-time anymore and we both needed a b-break from each other."

"Okay. Just sit tight," suggested Erwin. "Listen so some music and try to stay calm. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Erwin?"

"Yes?"

"Hurry, okay?"

The vulnerability in the omega's voice stabbed Erwin like a knife.

"I'm heading out the door right now," assured Erwin, not bothering to give an explanation to his two curious coworkers.

* * *

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uploaded this chapter rather hastily because I hate leaving people on cliffhangers. Many thanks for the comments and kudos!

Erwin found Levi curled up in the brown recliner in his living room when he arrived at his apartment. He was shivering visibly, and the pain in his eyes as he looked up at the blond caused an ache to spring up in Erwin's chest. He knew it was bad for Levi to have called him for help. Levi was far too pale, and his hands were resting on the swell of his abdomen as if it pained him. Erwin heard his labored breathing, and he immediately feared Levi was having contractions. It was much too early in the pregnancy for the baby to have any chance of survival if it got born this prematurely.

"Levi, talk to me," urged Erwin, rushing to his side and squatting down before him. "Is it the baby?"

He placed both hands on Levi's stomach, touching him without permission. This was the first time he'd felt the baby bump, and he mistook the activity beneath his palms as contractions. Erwin immediately started to reach for his phone to call for an ambulance, but Levi stopped him.

"It's okay," said the omega in a strained voice. "It's just kicking."

Erwin looked at the smaller man's tense face, then down at the roundness beneath his hands. He felt the thump again, and his tension bled out with relief. "You scared the shit out of me," he sighed, smiling. "I thought you were going into labor."

"I'd have called Hange instead of you if that was the case." Levi took a deep, shaken breath. "Still might call her. I don't want to use methadone t-to get this under control, but I d-don't know how much longer I can take this."

"We want to avoid that if at all possible," reasoned Erwin. He got up, and he gathered Levi into his arms.

"W-what are you doing?" Levi pushed weakly at Erwin's chest in protest, obviously taken off-guard by Erwin handling him without warning.

"Carrying you to your bedroom," explained the blond. "We need to get you warmed up. Your skin is like ice."

"N-not the bedroom," Levi argued, trying to squirm out of Erwin's embrace. There was panic in his eyes, and they'd gone considerably wide.

Erwin smelled the fear on him. It was just like that day at the hospital after they'd brought Levi in for treatment. He hated to be the cause of that fear, but there was no other choice. He met Levi's gaze and he spoke to him in a gentle, soothing voice.

"Levi, trust me. I'm not going to touch you inappropriately. I just want to get you covered up and warm. Please, just trust me."

Levi shivered again, his expression sliding into one of reluctant acceptance. He stopped squirming, and he put his arms around Erwin's neck in a hesitant way, like he'd never touched another man before. Erwin carried him through the hallway until he found the master bedroom. He brought Levi to the black framed platform bed against the wall, and he carefully lowered him onto it. He pulled the covers down and tucked Levi in, and then he took a gamble and climbed in with him.

"Oi, what's the idea?"

"I'm going to share body warmth with you," answered the alpha. "It's all right, Levi. I promise you that I'm only going to hold you. If I wanted to misbehave with you, don't you think I would have done it by now?"

Levi dragged in another deep breath, and his trembling increased as Erwin drew him close to his chest. He avoided touching him beyond that, not even daring to stroke his back. Erwin spoke to him softly as he held him, murmuring nonsense like a man trying to calm a frightened child.

"You're all right," he said. "Just take deep, slow breaths. You're perfectly safe."

Erwin felt the baby kick again, and he couldn't resist putting his hand on the swell of Levi's belly. "The baby wants you to calm down too."

"The baby can't w-want much of anything," Levi muttered.

"Don't be so sure," insisted Erwin. "Unborn children can sense when their mother is distressed. I read about it. Your emotional state effects your child, just as your physical state does."

"You...believe that?" Levi's breathing was settling down, and the tremors seemed to be lessening.

"Yes, I do. Did he start kicking when you started feeling the craving?"

"Yeah," admitted Levi. "It's the...first time he's kicked. Or she. Still don't know for sure what gender it is."

"I have a feeling it's a boy," Erwin mused.

Levi tilted his head back, pulling away a little so that he could look at the alpha. "How do you know?"

"Statistics," answered the blond simply, "and it's just a gut feeling."

"Tch. I guess w-we'll know in a few months. Care to make a wager of it?"

Erwin smiled at him, relieved that Levi was sounding more like himself. "What would you bet?"

"I dunno. I'd say money, but if I lose I might not be able to afford to pay up."

"Then how about a date?"

Levi stared at him, and Erwin realized he might have gone too far. Suggesting a date as a wager while holding him so intimately wasn't the smartest move he could make.

"I mean an outing," corrected Erwin. "I could take you out to dinner. It doesn't have to be anything overtly intimate. Just a friendly night out together."

"I...don't know if I'm going to be in the mood," Levi said hesitantly. "I'll be recovering from popping this kid out and handing it over to someone else."

It was a valid point. Giving up his baby wasn't exactly cause to celebrate, and as determined as Levi might be to go through with it, Erwin imagined he was going to be an emotional wreck. After seeing the baby via ultrasound and now feeling it moving inside of him, Levi was surely feeling some doubts about his decision.

"Well then, whenever you feel up to it," he compromised. "We don't have to do it right after you deliver the baby."

"Why do you want another date with me?" Levi asked him. "The first one was necessary for my story to work, but there's no need to do it again."

Erwin was a bit startled. Levi actually thought he was suggesting it as some sort of favor he wanted to do for him. "You don't know why someone would want to take you out on a date?"

"I'm damaged goods." Levi's tone was bitter. "Why would anyone want me, especially you?"

Erwin cupped the omega's face, frowning. "Don't talk about yourself like that. You aren't chattel, and you're not ruined. What happened to you was horrible, but it doesn't have to destroy your life or keep you from having a relationship some day. You told me yourself that you don't want your experience to taint you or break you, so don't let it. You have to live, Levi...not merely exist."

The smaller man lowered his gaze, his lashes shadowing his piercing gray eyes. "What if I can't figure out how to do that? What if the part of me that thinks past survival is dead and gone?"

"It isn't," insisted Erwin. "I can see that even if you can't. It might take time for you to find it again, but there's a strength in you that can't so easily be extinguished. I truly believe that, and one day, perhaps you will too."

Levi's eyes met Erwin's again, searchingly. "I wish I had as much faith in myself as you do."

Erwin couldn't look away. There was a warmth in his chest that he'd begun to get more familiar with, and he knew now that he couldn't possibly go through with backing out of his involvement in the omega's life. It was too late. Levi already had his heart, even if he's never accept it.

"Levi," murmured Erwin helplessly. He closed the distance between their mouths, transfixed by the shape and curve of the other man's lips. He was powerless to resist the temptation, even though Erwin knew his actions weren't likely to be well-received. He broke his promise not to do anything inappropriate, and he kissed Levi.

For a moment, Levi went utterly still. He gasped against Erwin's lips, and the alpha gently invaded his mouth with his tongue as soon as Levi issued the sound. The trembling started again. His omega scent intensified, tickling Erwin's senses and making the blond's head reel. The rush of feelings caught Erwin up like a tide threatening to sweep him away, and he wasn't consciously aware that he'd rolled Levi onto his back and wedged a thigh between the omega's.

That was when reality sunk in like sharp teeth biting into Erwin. He became aware of Levi pushing at him urgently, issuing muffled protests. The omega bit into Erwin's bottom lip when the bigger man didn't immediately react, drawing blood and bringing Erwin crashing back to his senses. He pulled back quickly, releasing the smaller man's mouth and taking his weight off of him. Breathing heavily, Erwin touched his bleeding lip and stared at his companion with remorse. He could see the whites of Levi's wide eyes, see the pinpoints that his pupils had shrank to. Flushed and panting, the omega regarded Erwin with a wild sort of terror.

"Levi, I'm sorry," Erwin quickly told him. "I shouldn't have done that."

"D-don't," rasped Levi. He was lying there frozen as if afraid to move.

"I won't touch you," vowed the alpha. It was agony to see him looking that way and knowing he was the one that caused it. "I'm so sorry, Levi. Don't be afraid of me. It was a moment of weakness. I got caught up in it and I lost my senses. It won't happen again."

"Why did it happen at all?" demanded Levi, his apparent fear turning to anger. "Knowing what I've lived through, why the fuck would you do that?"

"Again, I was caught up in the moment," excused the blond. "You have to believe I would never hurt you or try to force myself on you. I really care about you."

Now Erwin was trembling as well. It seemed likely to him that he'd just done what he'd decided _not_ to do and severed the trust he'd gained from Levi—and all because he'd lost control of his desire.

Levi kept staring at him for a few moments, and then he tugged the covers up to his chin. "I believe you. I don't know if I can believe you won't pull that again, though. Look, you're the first alpha I've been able to trust since this happened to me. I don't even count Eren, because I knew him before I got kidnapped. I mean you're the first alpha I've met since that guy took me that I feel safe with. Now you've got me questioning that."

"I know, and I'm furious with myself for damaging your trust in me." Erwin sighed, sat up and combed his fingers through his hair. "I wish that I could take it back. If I'd just kept my wits and held myself in check..."

"It didn't scare me because I thought you wouldn't stop," confessed Levi softly. "It scared me because...a part of me didn't want you to."

Erwin looked at him sharply, afraid he'd misheard him. He'd blown it off when Hange told him that Levi found him attractive. He thought that even if that was true, it didn't mean Levi felt any desire for him. It didn't mean he'd ever consider a relationship with him. "I beg pardon?"

Levi sighed, shut his eyes and nodded. "I like you, but that scares the shit out of me. Feels wrong for me to want someone. I shouldn't want to fuck after the things Slater did to me."

Erwin was hopelessly torn over how to address Levi's confession. He'd already predicted that Levi might never have a normal relationship again in his life, and the conflict of emotions the man expressed was proof of that.

"Levi, there's nothing shameful or wrong in feeling desire," Erwin told him carefully. "A healthy sexual drive is natural, particularly for our kind. I'm no psychologist, but I know that what you need the most is time. The healing process may be long and painful, but you _will_ heal. You just have to believe in yourself and have the courage to keep going."

"What if the process takes years?" Levi wondered, eyeing him suspiciously. "You've got needs, and I can't expect you to wait around indefinitely for me to get my head straight."

Erwin's smile was sad, but gentle on him. "I'm a patient man, Levi. I think you'll find that I can wait for some time, when it's for something I want badly enough."

Levi took a shuddering breath, and he absently rested his hands on his baby bump. "We'll see. In the meantime, don't try to kiss me like that again. It confuses me too much and I'm already fucked up enough as it is."

Erwin nodded. "I'll keep myself in check."

Levi nodded as well, and he closed his eyes again. "Sorry about biting you."

Erwin licked at his lower lip. The bleeding had already stopped, but eating would probably be difficult over the next couple of days. "You had every right to do that, and it snapped me out of my lust fast."

* * *

The incident didn't happen again, just as Erwin promised. Levi's trust in him was a little shaken for a while, but after he reached his third trimester without any further mishaps, he felt comfortable being alone with Erwin again. The man was a devoted friend, and Levi relied on his solid presence in his life as he approached his due date. Farlan and Isabel came by often to see Levi once he went on maternity leave and couldn't get out and about as much. They brought Levi meals, played cards with him and brought him snacks whenever they came over.

Mikasa stopped by every week to check on him, and Levi suspected she knew there was more to his story than he'd told her. She told him she'd informed Kenny of his condition, which pissed Levi off to no end. They ended up in an argument over it. He told her that if he wanted his uncle involved, he would have called himself to tell him about the situation. Mikasa in turn reminded him that Kenny was family, even if he wasn't very _good_ family. She said he had the right to know that his own great nephew was going to be given up for adoption, to which Levi promptly replied that Kenny had no goddamned say in what he did with his kid.

The fight between them might have escalated if not for Eren showing up with his friend Armin and intervening. He told Mikasa to stop upsetting Levi, and he pleaded with Levi not to be mad at her for something she'd done with the best intentions at heart. Being too fatigued to keep at it, Levi let the matter drop and went home to get some rest.

Erwin showed up after Levi had a nap, and the blond showed some concern over the dark circles shadowing Levi's eyes.

"Have you been eating right?" pressed Erwin.

"Yeah, I'm sticking to the nutrition plan Hange gave me," Levi answered. "I just get worn out fast these days. The kid sucks all the energy out of me."

There was that, and there was the fact that Levi had jerked off for the first time since before he got kidnapped. He didn't want to tell that to Erwin, though. He'd been thinking of the blond while he rubbed one out, and when he came it was almost startling. He'd almost forgotten how good orgasms felt.

"Maybe you should be taking more vitamins," suggested Erwin.

Levi shrugged. "I'm taking as many as I safely can. Hange says it's not a big deal to get tired more often at this stage of pregnancy. I just need to take more naps and be less active."

Levi sighed, and he plopped back against the couch, draping his arms over the back of it. "One more month of this shit and I'll be finished with this. I just hope this brat doesn't decide to hang around much longer than its due date."

"I'm sure they can induce labor if it comes to that," soothed Erwin. He reached for Levi slowly, and when the omega didn't recoil, he placed his hand on his stomach. He rubbed it in gentle circles, and he noticed the damp spots on Levi's loose white shirt. "Are you lactating, or is that sweat?"

Levi glanced down at the twin spots on his shirt, and he grimaced. "Shit, I guess I sprung a leak again. I forgot to put on my padding today to help control that."

"It isn't that noticeable." Contrary to his claim, Erwin was staring at Levi's chest as if fascinated.

"If that's true, why are you burning holes in me with your eyes?" Levi groused. The man was more aware of his body than even Levi was.

"I must admit, it amazes me," admitted Erwin. "The things that omegas and women can do with their bodies, I mean. I'll never know what it's like to grow a life inside of me."

"Sure you do," Levi pointed out. "You've got bacteria and shit inside you. That's life. Disgusting, but still life."

Erwin laughed and shook his head. "It's a shade different from growing a person I helped create, though."

"Trust me, you're not missing out on anything great. Swollen ankles, leaky tits, smell sensitivity and a protruding stomach isn't what I'd call good fun. I'd trade with you if I could."

"Well, I think nature has good reason to have designed us the way we are." Erwin smiled at him. "I doubt alpha and beta males could handle pregnancy. We don't even handle getting a cold well."

Levi snorted. "You said it, not me." He watched Erwin quietly after that, simply admiring the way the blond looked today in his uniform.

"Is there something on your mind?" prompted Erwin after a moment.

Levi shook his head, not daring to share his thoughts. It was hard having these urges when he couldn't even be touched by another man without getting the shakes. Oddly, he didn't really mind it when Erwin rubbed his belly.

"We'd better get moving," decided Levi at last, glancing at his watch. "Class starts soon."

Erwin nodded. He always took Levi to his birthing class, having missed only one day of it when a situation at work demanded his attention. "Then let's go, partner."

Levi fought a smirk at that.

* * *

It was incidentally during one birthing class much later in the year that Levi started having contractions. His due date was less than a week away, and this was to be his last class to participate in. At first Erwin had no idea what was happening, because it started out the same as any other instruction appointment. He sat behind Levi with the omega situated between his thighs, and they began to practice the breathing and coaching exercises taught to them. When Levi groaned and sat up straighter against him, Erwin realized that something wasn't right.

"Levi, is the mat not comfortable enough today?" asked the blond. He put his hands on Levi's stomach, and he realized how tight it was. "Oh. Are you cramping?"

"Kind of," grunted the omega. "It's worse than that, though. Fuck, I think it's a contraction. A _real_ one, not those false alarms I had last week."

Erwin froze as if hit over the head. "Seriously?"

"Don't know why you're so surprised," Levi said breathlessly. "I'm due in just a few days. Looks like the kid's not gonna make me wait after all."

The breathing instructor noticed the sincere strain on Levi's face, and she stepped around other practicing couples to approach him. "Mr. Ackerman, do we need to get you to the hospital?"

Levi hesitated. He turned his head to look at Erwin uncertainly. "Maybe we should. It's not like I've ever done this before, and I can't be sure if it's the real thing or false labor."

"Then let's get going," suggested Erwin. He carefully got up, and he helped Levi to get up as well. Putting a supportive arm around the omega, he guided him off the floor and he didn't bother collecting their mat. It was rented anyway, and they had no further need of it.

"Remember your breathing," advised Erwin, trying to stay calm. He was anxious though, as anxious as he imagined he would have been if this were his child Levi was going to be delivering.

"It stopped," informed Levi.

Erwin looked at him, now uncertain himself of what to do. "Already? Maybe it _was_ a false contraction."

"I don't think so." Levi waddled out to the parking lot beside him, holding onto one of Erwin's hands for support. "It didn't feel the same, and they said contractions will start out spaced apart in the beginning. I'm just getting a breather."

Erwin didn't argue with him, trusting Levi to know his own body well enough. He helped him into his sedan before getting in himself, and he wasted no time in calling the hospital to let them know they were coming.

This was it. Levi was going to have his baby, and he still didn't have a couple picked out to relinquish the child to. Erwin supposed that meant the baby would stay in the nursery and be under the care of the adoption agency until they found a match and got the paperwork done. Why Levi hadn't settled on a family for his child yet, Erwin couldn't be sure. He suspected it had more to do with Levi second-guessing himself than a lack of suitable candidates. Erwin had looked over the files himself and he'd seen at least three couples that seemed perfectly fine to him.

Now the question was what was going to happen when it was over with and Levi had to watch his flesh and blood being taken from him.

* * *

His water wouldn't break. They'd hoped for a quick and relatively easy labor, but as the hours moved on, Levi's contractions grew closer together and his water remained intact. Hange came to check on his progress regularly and bring him ice chips to suck on, and she frowned when she had a look under his hospital gown on her fourth visit.

"How is it looking?" Erwin asked her, careful to stay above Levi's waist to spare his dignity. Not that the poor thing would have noticed at this point if Erwin had a look down there himself; Levi was in too much pain to care anymore.

"He's dilated enough," obliged Hange, "but that's no good without the water breaking."

"You've gotta do something," wheezed Levi. His voice was raw from moaning, and his face was flushed red and sweaty. "Shitty glasses, it's killing me!"

Hange looked up from between his spread, bent knees with a sympathetic frown. "Have you been walking a little like I suggested?"

"Yes," hissed Levi from between clenched teeth.

"Yes, he has," confirmed Erwin. "I've been helping him pace the room every half hour, but I don't think he can do it anymore. He's losing strength, Hange."

"So I feared," she sighed. "Well, there are two things we can do at this point. I can manually break the water so that Levi can start pushing, and I can give him an epidural. At this stage of labor, however, the latter might not do much good. The pain medication isn't helping at all, my dear?"

"Not anymore," answered Levi. "If you...numb my legs...I won't be able to walk."

"You can't do more of that right now anyway," Erwin reminded him gently.

"But she said it probably won't help. I don't want...to be crippled for a day."

"Then we'll have to break the water," decided Hange. "Try not to push, Levi. I'll be right back with the equipment I need."

"What if it...doesn't help?"

Hange bit her lower lip. "If you can't push it out after that, we may have to put you under for a c-section. I absolutely don't want to do that unless I have to, though. Let's just see what position the baby is in before we consider that option, okay?"

Erwin looked down at Levi, his hand clasped tightly with the omega's. He was also wearing a gown over his clothing, along with a mask for sterile purposes. He hadn't anticipated the birth being this hard, but then, Levi was a small man. There was a possibility that his hips weren't wide enough for him to give natural birth.

"Do whatever you can," urged the alpha.

* * *

Fortunately there was no need for a c-section as Hange feared. It was agony, but Levi struggled through his labor, unaware of how much time passed before the baby's head finally started coming out. He began to distantly realize what had really happened as he bore down with the nagging birthing urges.

He'd done this to himself. He'd been fighting the labor, drawing it out because he knew that once the kid was there and the cord was cut, someone else would be taking it home instead of him. He didn't tell Erwin of his realization...not that he _could_ at this time. He was in the final stages and all he could do was scream. He felt it ripping him, but he couldn't stop pushing now if he tried. It slipped out of him and Hange caught it, cleared the airways and cleaned it up.

Levi heard the first cries emit from the baby. He stared up at the ceiling, drained both physically and emotionally. His gaze flicked to Erwin, who's blue eyes were on the newborn Hange was swaddling up.

"It's a boy," Erwin informed Levi, finally meeting his eyes. Levi could tell that he was smiling beneath the mask covering his mouth and nose. It lit up those gorgeous blue eyes tellingly.

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Levi when Hange laid the baby on his chest. He avoided looking at the child.

"It's customary to hand the baby over to it's birthing parent once it's born," she reasoned. "You need to give me another good push to clear the afterbirth, Levi."

He did as she instructed, and Hange cleaned him up and cut the cord. Levi still wouldn't look at the whimpering creature lying on his chest, but Erwin was staring down at it in fascination.

"Levi, don't you want to at least see him?" pressed Hange.

"What's the point?" he said bitterly.

Erwin and Hange glanced at each other. The doctor straightened up, moved her instrument tray away from the bed and sighed. "I'll give you a few moments. Nobody's going to come and take him immediately, Levi. There's still time to change your mind, if you aren't sure."

"I'm not going to—" But Hange was already gone, leaving him alone in the room with Erwin and the baby he'd decided to give up.

"Levi, just look at him," urged Erwin. "He looks like you."

"How can you be sure?" challenged Levi with an aching throat. "You never saw me as a baby."

"Trust me," insisted the alpha. "He looks the way I imagine you must have looked when you were born."

Inevitably, the omega's gaze was drawn to the tiny creature on his chest. The curiosity was too much to bear, and he found that Erwin was right. His son _did_ look like him, right down to the shape of the nose. He had a shock of black hair on his head, and as the baby settled down, he looked back at Levi inquisitively. His eyes were a darker shade of gray than Levi's. Other than that and a slightly tanner skin pigment, he could have been Levi reborn.

"He doesn't look like him at all," observed Levi with some relief. He could see nothing of Derrick's looks in the baby. That was one of the main things that he'd been bracing himself for; to see a resemblance to his rapist in the baby's features.

The kid was going to need feeding soon. That was another issue. Levi could feed him, but he was afraid of the attachment that might form. He didn't want to bond with this child, and yet he couldn't look at him without feeling a connection.

"Erwin," he said, his voice tightening.

A hand stroked Levi's hair. "You don't have to, Levi. You don't have to give him up. You never finalized any paperwork and you have every right to pull out of the adoption process."

Erwin placed a kiss on Levi's forehead. "I'll see to it that nobody pressures you. Take your time and think about it."

* * *

Levi slept through most of the night, and Erwin reclined in the visitor's chair, napping on and off and staying by his side. Come morning, Levi's voice roused him from his doze, and what he heard the omega say shocked him so much that he wondered if he'd imagined it.

"Excuse me?" Erwin said, covering up a yawn. He sat up in the chair and blinked the sleep from his eyes, looking at his bedridden companion suspiciously. Surely he hadn't just heard Levi say that...

"I want you to adopt him." Levi was watching him with tired, hooded eyes. His gaze was clear and lucid, if a little sad. He wasn't under the influence of medication, so that couldn't be to blame for the odd statement.

Erwin blinked again. "That's what I thought you said. Levi, are you awake? Do you realize what you just proposed to me?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah. I've been thinking about it on an off between sleeping and waking. You're attached to this kid, right? You make decent money, you're a responsible guy and I think you'd be a good paternal figure. Better than I would, anyway."

"Now hold on just a moment," Erwin said, eyes widening. "This is a serious thing you're talking about doing, Levi. I don't think you've given it enough thought."

"Actually, It's been on my mind a lot over these past months. The way you took care of me and participated in everything related to the baby almost made me forget you aren't the biological father. I know I'm not in a place to raise this kid, but if I've got to give him up to someone, I want it to be his dad."

"But I'm not—"

"You're as much his dad as that shitface that sired him," interrupted Levi. "More so, in fact. You did everything a dad should do, and then some. I know your record more than speaks for itself. All I've got to do is list you as the father, and nobody will dispute it. We wouldn't even have to go through the paperwork."

"Levi," said Erwin carefully, "your hormones are still off balance. You just gave birth and I'm sure you're feeling a lot of conflicting emotions. I think you should consider this more carefully before making a final decision."

"I've considered it," insisted Levi. He sniffed suspiciously and looked away. "If he's raised by you, he gets to grow up with a hero. If he's raised by me, he gets to grow up with a junkie. I think that speaks for itself."

"And what if you get your life back on track and decide you want him back?" reasoned Erwin. "You call yourself a junkie, but so far you haven't fallen back into the habit. I think you've got it together more than you want to believe."

"I was pregnant," reminded Levi. "Now I'm not, so it's going to be harder for me to resist temptation since I don't have a kid inside me to think about. I'm asking you to do this for all three of us, blondie. It's better for me, it's better for you and most of all, it's better for him. At least if you take him, I'll know where he is and I can be somewhat involved in his life."

Erwin rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. "And how involved would that be? Levi, I can help you. You don't have to do this. We can work something out with childcare, and you still qualify for government aid."

"Why is it so important to you that I keep him?" demanded Levi. "You know how screwed up my head is."

"I know you need to heal," corrected Erwin, "and I saw the look on your face when you saw him. You ask me why it's so important to me that you keep him? It's simple. I don't want to see you hurting anymore, and I think giving that baby up will only cause you more suffering."

Erwin nearly asked why Levi was so adamant that he raise the baby, but the omega had already explained it to him. In a warped way, it made a kind of sense. It was a bold proposal full of risks, but perhaps it was better for Levi to focus on recovering until he was ready to be a parent. Maybe the idea had its merits.

Levi was watching him with an expression that some might have found unreadable. Erwin, however, had come to know every micro-expression, every subtle curve of his lips, every little crease when the omega's brows pinched. Levi wasn't a cold man, he was just traumatized and guarded. Erwin could see that deep, abiding pain in the back of the smaller man's pale gray eyes, and he knew that Levi was very much aware of what it was going to cost him to leave his child in another's hands. At least, as Levi said, if it were Erwin fostering or adopting the boy, Levi could see him and stay updated on how he was doing.

Erwin sighed, and he rested his hands on his knees, bowing his head. "Give it three more days, Levi. At least wait until you've recovered from childbirth and get released. You may find yourself feeling more leveled out by then and have a change of heart."

"And if I don't?"

Erwin looked into the other male's eyes. "Then we'll make arrangements. We'll work something out."

"They're gonna want me to put the father's name on the birth certificate soon," reminded Levi. "I've also got to name the kid."

"I know that. You can put mine on there. I'm sure Hange won't say anything, and neither will the minute few others that know the truth. There will naturally be paperwork to fill out and file if you go through with your plan to relinquish custody to me, but I know people that can speed it along."

Levi nodded, lowering his gaze. "I don't know what to call him. Wasn't planning on naming him myself."

"Give yourself time to think it over," advised Erwin. He reached out to pat Levi's hand. "You had a hard labor and you need your rest. I'm sure a name will come to you."

Levi bit his lip. "If it doesn't, would you name him?"

Erwin paused in the process of getting up to go and get some refreshment from the cafeteria. "We'll see."

* * *

Erwin didn't come back until the next day. Levi couldn't really blame him for that. He'd dropped a bomb on the man's head, asked him to take up the burden of raising his kid because Levi couldn't bring himself to do it just yet. He wondered if the alpha would end up changing his mind. Levi started giving his son feedings with instruction from Hange, and he tried to keep his feelings locked up tightly in that dark place he'd learned to stuff them.

While he considered what he would do if his plan worked out, Levi tried to come up with a name. He would have thought it would be simple enough, but none of the names he thought of seemed to fit the infant.

"Should be something simple," he told the baby during an afternoon feeding. He stared down at the suckling child, mentally running through an alphabetical list of possible choices. He mulled over it hopelessly, shaking his head at each one he thought up.

"Damn it, what's your name?" Levi muttered at last, frustrated. The baby started to whimper, and Levi carefully burped him. "Better?"

The child settled down, and Levi gave him a chance to suckle more. When he didn't, the omega turned gingerly in his hospital bed to lower the baby into the bassinet. The door to his room opened, and Erwin Smith walked in. Levi's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, though the blond's handsome features looked tired. He needed a shave too, but his smile was genuine as he closed the door behind him.

"How are you both?" asked Erwin.

"Still too sore to do much moving around, but at least I can make it to the bathroom on my own now." Levi glanced at the baby. "He's doing better than I am. Hange says he has good motor control and she doesn't think he'll have any issues from when I...was on the stuff."

"That's good to know." Erwin stepped up to the bassinet, and he looked down at the baby. "Hello there. Do you remember me?"

The baby kicked beneath his swaddle, and he grabbed for Erwin's finger when the man presented it to him.

"I think that's a yes," murmured Erwin with a grin at Levi.

Levi kept his expression neutral. "Want to hold him?"

The alpha seemed to consider it for a moment, and then he nodded. He bent over to collect the newborn, and Levi watched while he handled him. Erwin supported the head and cradled the baby better than Levi did, and the omega wondered if he'd been practicing on dolls or something. Looking down at the baby, Erwin smiled. The blue of his eyes lit up like it was his own flesh and blood he was holding in his strong, capable hands.

That was good. It was _more_ than good, because no matter how hard it was going to be for him, Levi had made up his mind about what to do.

"I still don't have a name for him," admitted Levi softly. "Since you're the father, why don't you go ahead and pick one? Something short but not too common, maybe."

Erwin glanced at him, and he briefly frowned. "You should at least be the one to name him."

Levi said nothing, just stared into his eyes. Erwin knew. He might have known even when he was arguing with Levi about it the day after the birth. Levi could see the resolve in those eyes, along with some regret. He looked away after a moment, turning his gaze to the window overlooking the city.

"I don't have one to give him. Maybe it's better that way."

Levi heard a soft sigh from the blond, but he kept staring out the window. He was afraid that if he looked at Erwin right now, holding his son, he might lose his shit and start crying. Levi didn't want that; not for himself, not for Erwin and not for the kid.

"Dylan," said Erwin in a low voice. "Dylan Owen Smith."

Levi repeated the name under his breath, and he found it to his liking. "It's a good name." He didn't try to correct Erwin for using his own last name. He was going to be raising the kid, after all.

The silence stretched out between the two men, broken only by the gurgles and various baby noises coming from the infant in Erwin's arms.

* * *

-To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday my peeps! Ugh, FF.net is down and I usually rely on it to help me with formatting, so I had to manually go through and delete double paragraph spacing. Hopefully I didn't miss any line breaks or make the formatting too awkward in my crappy attempts at cleaning this chapter up for publishing. Thanks so much for the kudos and reviews so far!

 

Erwin gave Levi more time just in case, but the omega was adamant about relinquishing his son to him. To his credit, Levi did take Dylan home to care for him for the first two weeks. He wanted to nurse him at least for a little while, because Hange said it was better to feed infants from the breast for at least the first weeks of their life. After that, Levi met up with Erwin at his place. He had the basic necessities with him, including at bassinet gifted to him by Mikasa and Eren. The paperwork was already mostly finished, and Levi had the foresight to pump and store some of his milk so that the baby could get a little more of it before switching to formula. 

He didn't tell Erwin the details concerning how his cousin and friends reacted to his choice. Levi made his visit and subsequent goodbyes brief. He was stiff the whole time, brittle as though he might shatter if touched. Therefore, after Levi finished signing his name on the last of the paperwork, Erwin was very gentle when he drew him into his embrace. He didn't say anything, and Levi stiffened for a few seconds before returning the hug. 

The one thing Erwin asked when Levi withdrew with a nod and silent thanks in his eyes was: _"Where will you go?"_

Levi didn't have an answer for that, and it would be a year before Erwin heard from or saw him again.  

* * *

 

"Do you have everything?" 

Mikasa checked the bags containing Dylan's diapers, baby food and toiletries. "It's all here, Mr. Smith." 

"How many times must I tell you to call me Erwin?" He smirked at her. It had taken time for Mikasa to warm up to him, but after Levi took off for parts unknown, her demeanor changed. 

"Think of it as contrition for the way I treated you in the beginning," said the young woman. "I haven't earned the right yet to call you by your first name." 

"Nonsense. We're almost family." Erwin checked his son's car seat to be sure he was secure, and he picked it up to carry it out with him. "Thank you for taking him for the weekend. I'm so behind on paperwork that I may have to sleep at the station." 

"We don't mind at all," she assured him. Once they made it out of the apartment building and to the parking lot, she called out to her boyfriend, who was sitting in the green SUV they'd come in. "Eren, come say hello to...erm...Erwin." 

The door opened, and Eren Jaeger stepped out of the driver's side. His hair had grown to his shoulders and while it was a little shaggy, it suited him. "Hi Chief. Here, let me get the back door open for you." He smiled at Dylan when the toddler babbled at him. "Hey, guy! We're going to have lots of fun this weekend." 

Erwin lifted the car seat with the child in, and he secured it diligently before ruffling his son's hair. "I'll see you on Sunday, little man. Behave for Aunt Mikasa and Uncle Eren, all right?" 

Dylan couldn't talk yet, but he cocked his head a little in a very Levi-esque way that told Erwin he understood. Sometimes it hurt when he did things like that. He was so very much like his maternal father. There was a certain irony to it. Levi had given him up because he was afraid the boy would remind him of the man that violated him. Now Erwin had to cope with how much Dylan reminded him of Levi, and yet it was a bittersweet comfort to him. 

He had a part of Levi with him. 

* * *

 

"How's the boy doing?" 

Erwin didn't glance up at Mike when he asked the question. He kept his attention mainly focused on the computer screen. "He's doing well. He's getting more mobile now. He's already figured out how to pull himself up. Soon he'll be walking, and I'll have to take extra childproofing measures." 

Mike dropped a file on Erwin's desk. "Still can't believe you took on this responsibility, Chief." 

"I have help." Erwin narrowed his eyes at the screen, scanning through drivers' license images in the records. 

"Props to you for raising a kid that isn't yours," grunted Mike. 

This time, Erwin looked up at him. He could feel his face slipping into a cold mask. "He _is_ mine. I may not have fertilized the egg, but Dylan is my son regardless." 

Mike scratched the back of his neck with a shrug. "I just meant—" 

"I know what you meant, so kindly drop it. What do you have for me?" 

The taller blond sighed, and he nodded at the file he'd just presented. "Take a look, but you aren't going to like it if it's who I think it is." 

Erwin opened the file, and he stared down at the police report. 

_Drug overdose. Victim was found in the bathroom at a party and taken to the hospital for treatment.  
_

Erwin read through the report, saw that the drug found in the overdose victim's blood was heroin, and he braced himself. He turned to the next page to see the photo of the driver's license found on the patient, and he cursed softly under his breath. 

Mike leaned over him. "Is that him? It's a little fuzzy, but from what I remember it looks like him." 

Erwin nodded. "Yes, it's Levi. He used a different name for this driver's license. I assume he's been living under an alias since he left Mitras." 

"Hmph. Wonder how he managed that." 

"Levi is resourceful. Regardless of how his experience damaged his mentality, he's too clever to leave an easy trail to follow. He wanted to escape this city and start over. He wanted to find himself." 

Erwin rubbed his forehead, his eyes latching onto the photo ID of the omega he couldn't banish from his heart and mind. He checked the date on the report. The incident happened two months ago, in Trost. "I doubt this is the person he was aiming to find." 

"Sometimes you just have to let them go," reasoned Mike softly. "Sometimes you can't help, Chief. They have to want it." 

Erwin didn't respond to that. 

 

"Can I just ask what prompted you to start looking for him again?" Mike sat down in the other office chair, and he leaned back to stretch his shoulders. "You seemed to make your peace with him leaving after a couple of months. Now all the sudden, you're like a dog trying to sniff out a bone again." 

"Levi stopped sending me emails," admitted Erwin. "Up until about three months ago, he was fairly consistent. He mailed small gifts for Dylan, sent money for his first birthday and for Christmas. I emailed him pictures regularly so that he would have some of Dylan. It suddenly stopped after Dylan's first birthday. I tried to trace the email account activity, but it was deleted." 

"And I'm guessing he never gave you a phone number or called," said Mike. 

"He called once from a hotel room he was staying at. That was the only time." 

Erwin remembered that phone call well. After talking about Dylan for a while, he'd tried to persuade Levi to consider coming back home. Levi immediately shut down and told him Mitras wasn't home for him anymore. Then he warned him never to ask again. 

"Did this phone call happen right before his email account vanished?" 

Erwin shook his head. "No. It was about four months after he'd left. Now that I have no means of communicating with him at all, I have to at least find out what happened." 

Erwin damned near smacked himself in the head, then. He didn't have a phone number, social media profile or other means of sending Levi a message, but he might now have an address. 

"I am such a fool," he muttered, peering at the photo of the driver's license that went with the report Mike found. 

"Be careful about that," cautioned Mike, guessing what he was thinking. "He's gone to great lengths to stay hidden. You might not recognize him even if you find him." 

"I just want to check up on him, if I can." Now more determined than ever, Erwin poured all of his effort into pinpointing Levi's location. 

* * *

 

"I must be insane," Erwin sighed. A week had passed since he found the lead. He'd hired a private investigator in Trost, opting out of trying to show up at the address himself. Unfortunately, the address on the driver's license was listed as being up for rent. If Levi had been living there, he was gone now. He was still trying, but he'd limited his search time for when he wasn't at work. It was distracting him too much, and people were starting to take notice. Sitting at his desk in his home, Erwin used all of his resources in the slim hope that he might pick up Levi's trail and find out where he went. 

He felt something bump into his leg, and Erwin looked down. The baby was clutching at his pant leg with his head tilted back. Erwin knew the expression on that little upturned face. It said: _"Daddy, pick me up or I'll make diaper duty a living hell for you."  
_

Erwin smiled, bent over and scooped the toddler up. "You're right," he told him. "Too much time working, not enough time with Dylan." 

Dylan squirmed so that he was facing Erwin's chest in his lap, and he stuck his thumb in his mouth as he laid his head against the alpha with a sigh. Erwin stroked the child's soft black hair, and he started closing out his computer programs. Now it was cuddle time. In that respect, Dylan was different from Levi. He was never opposed to cuddles. 

Erwin finished shutting his computer down, and he got up from his desk with Dylan. He hummed to the child in a deep, baritone voice. He didn't have a particularly memorable singing voice, but Erwin suspected that his son enjoyed the vibrations more than his tone. When Dylan got an earache, the only way Erwin could get him to go to sleep was to have him lay on his chest while he hummed. When he was cutting teeth it was the same thing. It was Erwin's greatest method of soothing the boy when he was ailing or upset. 

He carried Dylan to the couch and sat down with him. He felt the baby's little fingers curl against his chest, listened to the quiet noises of him suckling at his thumb, and he tried to get his mind off of Levi for a while. 

Incidentally, Erwin's dreams were filled with Levi when he nodded off. He came awake with a start when he could have sworn he heard Levi speaking into his ear. Erwin looked around, gathered his bearings and realized he'd just imagined it. He looked down at the child snuggled up to him, and he saw that he was asleep. Amazingly, Erwin's sudden waking movement didn't rouse the boy from sleep. 

He carefully got off the couch with his son, carried Dylan into his bedroom and laid him down in the crib. He put the stuffed panda bear that Levi had sent for him close to the boy, and he tucked him under his baby blanket. 

"Sweet dreams, little fellow." Erwin touched the child's cheek, and he quietly left the room to seek his own bed. Maybe it was foolish, but he liked to think that some part of Levi's aura was clinging to that stuffed animal. Maybe that was why Dylan slept so soundly with it near him.

* * *

 

"Can I help you with your bags, sir?" 

The small, dark-haired man turned around at the question. He was fair of skin, pale of eyes and young looking, but there was a world of experience behind his gaze that belied his youthful appearance. 

"No," he answered. "I can get them myself." 

It wasn't like he'd brought much with him. He'd "started over" several times already in the past year, and he'd ditched everything except his clothes and basic necessities. He retrieved the luggage from the trunk when the taxi driver opened it, and then he paid for the fair. Once he had his luggage set down on the sidewalk, he looked up at the building he was about to enter. 

A shiver passed through him. This was the most daunting change of location for him yet. Once he set foot in there and filled out the physical part of his paperwork, he was going to have a pretty restrictive lifestyle for a time. The rehab center before him wasn't what truly loomed largest in his mind, though. He was back. Back in the city he'd left behind, back where his friends and family lived. 

Back where his son lived. Back where he'd been... 

He closed his eyes. No, thinking of that time again would do him no good. He had a purpose in coming here, and it took more courage for him to return than it had for him to leave. He'd been running away. Now it was time to stop. 

Levi picked up his luggage and towed it up the steps to the building entrance. He pressed the intercom button and announced himself when a security guard spoke to him. They were expecting him, so the doors slid open. He stepped inside warily, appearing bored but quaking inwardly. The doors closed behind him with the finality of a prison sentence...but this was a prison of his own choosing.

* * *

Dylan had another earache, but this time, the humming wasn't working. Erwin tried the warm oil, he tried the liquid baby aspirin, he tried rocking his fretting son. Nothing seemed to help, and he began to panic. It was unusual for Dylan to carry on like this. Of course he cried like any other baby when he was in pain, hungry or uncomfortable, but the shrieking he was doing now had Erwin worried that it was something more serious. 

"Shhh," soothed the blond, holding his son with one arm while putting the phone to his ear with his free hand. "Daddy's going to make it better. Just give me a chance to...oh, hello? Yes, this is Erwin Smith. I'm calling....shhh, Dylan...I'm calling about my son. I think he's got an earache but...yes, I said an earache. He's really distressed and I can't...okay ma'am, could you please just get Dr. Zoë on the phone for me? Yes, I know she's not my pediatrician. He's currently out of town and...yes, I'll hold." 

It felt like it took forever, though Erwin confirmed by watching the clock that only three minutes went by before his call was transferred to Hange. 

"Hello, Erwin. How can I help you today? The receptionist said something about an earache?" 

"Yes, Dylan is in a lot of distress, and I'm at my wits end," he informed her. "Dr. Bennet is currently out of town and I thought I would ask you for advice before bringing my son to a stranger." 

"Okay, what are the symptoms?" 

Erwin grimaced, and he sighed when Dylan let loose another wail. He waited for it to ebb before speaking to Hange again. "He seems to have all of the symptoms of an ear infection, but it's much worse than the last time. I've tried all of the usual things to alleviate it, but nothing seems to be working." 

"So I can hear," she stated. "Hmm, why don't you go ahead and bring him in to my office? Pediatrics aren't my specialty, but we can at least confirm infection and get him on antibiotics, if that's the case. Other than that, you may just have to take him in to see the doctor sitting in for your regular one." 

Erwin felt some relief. Hange might not be a specialist in that field of medicine, but she'd never failed to come up with a medical solution to any problem he'd presented her with. "Thank you. I'll bring him right away. I hope this doesn't interfere too much with your schedule." 

"Oh, I can make time for little Dylan. Don't worry about it. See you soon!" 

 

* * *

 

Erwin wasted no time in getting his son to Hange's office. She set them up in a private examination room, and she did the usual vitals tests before checking the baby's ears. 

"Well, he _is_ running a fever," she informed Erwin, "but I'm not seeing any discharge or redness in his ears. Let's have a closer look in his mouth. Come on, sweetie, open up wide for Auntie Hange, like this." 

Hange opened her mouth to demonstrate. It took a bit of convincing to get the sniffling, whimpering child to follow her lead, and she gently held his jaw with latex-gloved fingers to keep him from closing his mouth before she could have a more thorough look. 

"I think I see the problem. He's got a new molar coming in at the back, bottom left." Hange peered in for another second before releasing Dylan and giving his hair a stroke. "The gum tissue around it looks kind of angry and swollen, so we're dealing with a minor abscess." 

"He was holding his left ear though." 

"Tooth and jaw pain can spread to the ear," explained Hange. "That's why he was behaving like it was an ear infection. We'll put him on antibiotics and some low dose medication for pain and fever, for a start. Do you have any numbing gel for oral pain at home?" 

Erwin nodded. "Yes, I keep that stocked since he's still got baby teeth coming in." 

"Good," approved Hange. "Use that as directed between medicinal doses. He's probably too young to risk trying to get him to rinse with warm salt water, so just use cooling packs on that side of his face to reduce swelling." 

Hange paused, looking at Erwin in a thoughtful manner as though debating something. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

Hange started to speak, and then she shook her head. "It can wait. Right now Dylan should be the top priority." 

Erwin was too anxious about his son's condition to question her further. "How long should it take before the medication starts to work?" 

"I'd say give the antibiotics two or three days to start having a notable effect," she explained. "In the meantime, the other medication should help with his discomfort. Pureed and liquid foods only until the swelling goes down, all right? No solids, even if they're soft. We want to avoid any food particles getting stuck between the gum and the crowning tooth and making the infection worse." 

"Understood." Erwin patted his son's back when the boy turned in his lap to press his face against his chest. "What if there's no improvement in two days?" 

"I doubt it will come to that, but if this turns out to be a really stubborn abscess, we may have to lance it. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it." 

Horrified by the thought of Dylan having to endure having a needle piercing what must be a very sore, tender spot, Erwin couldn't have agreed more. 

 

* * *

 

He took meticulous care of Dylan after bringing him home again. Erwin even took a couple of days off, opting to do file work from home on his laptop so that he could keep an eye on his son personally. He did try the saltwater rinse, but immediately nixed the idea when the baby swallowed instead of spitting it out. Erwin quickly researched the danger of toddlers ingesting salt water after that, just to be sure one swallow wouldn't do him any harm. 

By day two, Erwin was relieved to find that the redness and swelling had substantially gone down. Once again, Hange's medical advice saved the day. Dylan was doing much better, though he still had some pain and had taken to sleeping on Erwin at night. To the police chief's delight, Dylan started doing something new and adorable; he began to hum along with him during cuddle time. It was off tune and unpracticed, but it was the sweetest sound Erwin had ever heard. 

Erwin was still exuberant about Dylan's new trick the morning after he confirmed that the infection was receding, and before he knew it, he was announcing it on his Facebook profile. Anytime he shared something new Dylan had learned, Erwin made sure to set it as a public post so that those who weren't friended to his account could see it. He did this in the hopes that somehow, somewhere, Levi might check in on his profile and see the news. Sharing baby pictures publicly was out of the question, but little announcements were acceptable. 

It only took a few moments before people started commenting on the announcement. 

_"Before long, he'll be talking and then he won't shut up, Chief." –Annie Leonhart  
_

_"Oh wow! Maybe he'll grow up to be a singer." –Eren Jaeger  
_

_"How cute! You should consider recording it the next time for posterity!" –Nanaba  
_

_"Is there a barbershop quartet in your future?" – Mike Zacharius  
_

_"Good to hear he's doing better." –Mikasa  
_

Erwin grinned and sipped his coffee as he watched more responses pop up on the screen. Comments about how proud he must be, how precious such moments were, well-wishes on the tooth infection and the like. Then someone Erwin wasn't Facebook friends with responded, and the blond man paused with a frown. 

"'Fubar Needleman'?" he muttered to himself. Erwin read the comment left by the person. 

_"Already?" –Fubar Needleman  
_

Erwin reared back a little, eyeing the post suspiciously. He checked the profile page of the person who left it. There was no background image, no public status updates and no information beyond _"It's complicated"_ under the relationship status. There was a profile picture featuring scattered syringes beneath a text heading that read: _"This is what rock bottom looks like"_. 

Slowly, almost warily, Erwin typed a reply to the odd comment. 

_"Already what, friend?" – Erwin Smith  
_

The minutes ticked by, and he started to think it was just a mistake. Maybe this person had meant to post under someone else's status update and they somehow ended up doing it under his. Erwin nearly jumped when he saw that he was getting another response, and he had another sip of his coffee as he waited. 

_"Humming. Seems early for that." – Fubar Needleman  
_

Erwin lowered the mug from his lips, staring at the response. His mind tumbled through the possibilities. It could be a stranger just randomly posting. It could be someone he'd met while out on the job...either an addict or someone that worked with them, going by what little there was under the profile. The second comment suggested, however, that this person knew something others might not. For example, if humming as a child was a habit that ran in the family... 

"It's Levi," breathed Erwin, sure of it now. 

The whole thing smacked of it. The candid, grimly humorous profile name, the picture, the short, vague replies. It was Levi all over. Erwin got out of his chair with excitement, hope flooding through him. He suddenly didn't know what to do with himself. He put his coffee mug down on one of the middle shelves in his bookcase for no reason, paced in a circle and then went back to his computer desk. 

_"Do I know you?" – Erwin Smith  
_

_"...Yes." – Fubar Needleman_

He almost asked under the status update, but Erwin tempered himself. Instead, he sent the user a private message. He needed to be sure. He wanted to send a friend request, but if he was wrong he could be making a big mistake. This could simply be a stalker. Might even be someone he busted at some point. Erwin had received creepy messages and threats from former inmates he'd helped incarcerate after they got out of prison before. 

_"Levi?"_ He typed into the private message box. 

There was no response. Erwin waited for several minutes, hardly daring to move. Then Fubar Needleman went offline without ever replying. Erwin sighed, and he rubbed a hand over his face. He didn't think it was some sick game someone was playing. It _felt_ like Levi. Right up to the moment they fled the conversation. Erwin had a feeling that this profile would be deleted by the end of the day, just like the email account Levi had been using before. 

"You're trying to tell me something," whispered Erwin, narrowing his eyes at the screen. Maybe if he acted quickly enough, he could use his resources to track down where that profile was logged in from last. Maybe he could— 

The page refreshed, and suddenly he was staring at a "gray face" icon where the profile picture had been. The account was already deleted. 

"If that wasn't you, I'll eat my laptop," stated Erwin. At least Levi was still checking in on things. It was possible that the man had been watching Erwin's status update silently for some time now, and for whatever reason, he'd felt compelled to leave a comment this time. Knowing Levi, he probably panicked when Erwin tried to confirm his identity. Deleting the account was the fastest way to ensure it wouldn't lead back to him, but perhaps Levi would make a new profile under a different name and keep watching Erwin's page. 

 

* * *

 

"Fucking idiot." Levi closed the Facebook application on his phone. 

"Hey, what'd I do?" protested a guy passing him in the hallway. 

Levi looked at the man, recognizing him from the support group meeting the day before. He had a foreign name...Gunther something-or-other. He also had his dark hair slicked up with product in a weird looking hairstyle that reminded Levi of one of those kewpie dolls. 

"I wasn't referring to you," excused Levi. "I was just talking to myself." 

"Oh. You do that a lot, don't you?" The guy was a beta, and while he had a look about him that gave the impression he was always thinking too hard or in a sour mood, he smiled at Levi amicably. 

"I guess I do," conceded the omega. 

He was usually silent unless directly addressed around others. He hadn't yet participated in the support group except to listen to other people's stories. He didn't know if he'd ever be willing to share the details of what brought him to this place, but Levi had developed a tendency to process his thoughts aloud to himself when he was alone. Sometimes he did it without realizing it, muttering to himself within earshot of others. This wasn't the first time since he'd arrived at the clinic that someone thought he was speaking to them when he forgot himself and mused aloud about something. 

"Well if you ever feel like talking to someone besides yourself," offered Gunther with a gesture at his head, "I've got good ears. Sometimes its easier for newcomers to share one-on-one instead of in a group setting." 

Levi glanced away. "I'm fine." 

"Is that so?" Gunther crossed muscular arms over his chest. "Then why are you here, man?" 

Levi narrowed his eyes at him, and Gunther took a step back and spread his hands in a pacifying manner. "Look, you just got here so get that you need some time. I'm just saying I'm here for you. Admitting you have a problem is the first huge step, and you've taken that. Now it's time for the healing process. Part of that is letting go of the past, opening up to people and setting goals for the future. If you're not ready to share with the group, you can always come to me if you want to." 

Reminding himself that the man was just trying to help, Levi relaxed his stance. He put his phone away, and he stuck his hands into his pockets. "Sounds like you've been here for a while." 

Gunther shrugged, started walking the hallway and Levi came with him. "About six months. I come and go now, but in the beginning I was strictly in-patient, like you." 

Gunther eyed the shorter man sidelong, and when Levi noticed his gaze fixating on the most recent track marks on the inside of his elbows, he folded his arms over his chest self-consciously. The marks were fading, but they were still new enough to be visible to people at a glance. 

"So what was it?" Gunther asked softly. 

"You first," came Levi's stiff response. 

"Blow, bennies and crank, mostly. Also ecstasy and acid in social settings, but those aren't the hard ones. I never got addicted to them; they were just fun." 

Levi's brows went up briefly. "That's some list." 

"Yeah. I had myself a good time in the day." Gunther smirked. "Now I mostly come here to support other recovering addicts. Sometimes I still get the itch though, and that's when I'll check in just to be safe." 

Levi stopped walking in surprise. They were in the main lobby now, near the water fountain. Maybe Gunther could go outside if he wanted, but Levi didn't have the pass key to get past the doors. That was the rule until he either went through a long process for early release or stayed in the program for three months. He could get a temporary pass after two weeks if he wanted, but if he failed to come back on time, he'd be rejected from the program and reported to the police. 

"They let you do that?" Levi waved a hand. "Council people officially, I mean." 

"Oh yeah. Once you get clean and make it through the program, they'll offer you a job if you've got the right skills and mannerisms for it. It's only part-time, but I'm doing something to help other people. Sometimes it's beneficial for the recovery process to talk to someone that knows a little something about what you're going through, you know?" 

It made sense to Levi. Talking to someone that never had an addiction problem in their lives made him feel like a piece of shit. Even though logically he knew they wouldn't all judge him, he still felt like they would. Erwin and Hange were really the only people he'd ever opened up to about it. He'd alluded to his uncle that he had some bad habits and wanted a fresh start, which was how Kenny ended up helping him cover his footsteps and get a temporary change of identity. 

"So, are you going to at least tell me what brought you here?" Gunther persuaded after a moment of silence. 

Levi glanced down at his arms with a grimace. "Heroin." 

Gunther nodded as if unsurprised. He'd probably already guessed, but as Levi understood it, there were a number of narcotics people took via injection. The man didn't ask further questions about it, and for a few moments, they stood by the fountain in silence together. Levi felt his companion's eyes on him as he watched some people come through the front entrance. 

"Thinking of bolting?" murmured Gunther. 

Levi shook his head. No, he wasn't thinking of bolting. He'd chosen to be here in lieu of doing prison time for his drug abuse. The former might have even been a shorter sentence, but he was weary of taking the quick way out. He wanted to get clean and stay that way. 

What Levi was really thinking of was the lady he'd briefly spotted passing by the rec room in the hall the other day. He'd only just settled in when he caught a glimpse of her, and he'd immediately panicked when he saw the familiar messy ponytail and the glint of glasses on her face. He didn't get a good enough look at her to confirm his suspicion that it was Hange, though. She'd taken off so fast that by the time he lunged out into the hallway to be sure of her identity, she was already in the lobby and heading out the door. 

He hoped he was wrong. He should have anticipated that Hange might show up at the clinic he'd agreed to relocate to. She'd told him she had friends and associates that worked in such places, but he'd hoped that as it was a brand new rehab clinic, she wouldn't make an appearance there. Plus it was all the way on the other side of town, north of where most of his friends and family lived. He'd taken the chance that it would be safe to come here without anyone he knew spotting him. 

Levi wasn't ready to face any of them yet. 

* * *

 

-To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks passed since Erwin got that reply under his Facebook status that he was sure came from Levi. He kept his page updated with any new happenings with Dylan, rarely posting anything about himself except for when it pertained to going on an outing with his son. It was as much tactical as practical on his part; Erwin didn't typically share his personal thoughts and feelings on social media. He also wanted to ensure that Levi knew what was happening in Dylan's life, if he was still watching his page as Erwin suspected. Perhaps he entertained the hope that he might draw him out again, but honestly, he wasn't sure what he expected.

The days were getting chilly again with the middle of Fall approaching. Erwin always made sure to bundle up Dylan before taking him out anywhere, just in case the boy was prone to ear infections. When he wasn't working, he spent as much time as he could with the child. He'd investigated several Daycare centers before choosing one, and he either dropped Dylan off there or at Mikasa and Eren's place when he went to work, depending on the hour and day of the week. Nanaba sometimes babysat for him too.

Erwin was just getting ready to put on the game and enjoy a weekend day off when he got a phone call from Hange. He answered it, tucked Dylan's bib in and handed the child a bottle.

"Hello, Hange."

"Sorry to bug you on your day off, Erwin. I wanted to check on how Dylan's doing."

Erwin smiled at his son, who was clutching his bottle in both tiny hands and drinking from it. Lying on a baby blanket on the couch, he seemed perfectly content to take it easy for a while.

"His tooth is almost in, and he's just fine now," assured Erwin. "We're about to enjoy the football game together."

"That's wonderful to hear," she enthused. "Um, about the football game...can you possibly record it and postpone it for later?"

"Why?" Erwin paused in adjusting his son's clothes. "Is something the matter?"

"No, but I've been wanting to show you something. I didn't want to ask on a work day or while Dylan was still recovering. Do you think you could find a sitter this afternoon?"

Erwin sighed. "Hange, I rarely get the chance to sit down to a game."

"I know, but I think this will interest you. There's a new rehab treatment clinic uptown, and I would really like to give you a tour and get your opinion on it. I have some security concerns, and you're just the man to alleviate them for me. It will only take an hour or so, what do you say?"

Erwin grimaced. "I presume this clinic is for recovering addicts?"

"Yes it is, and that's why I thought you might take a personal interest in it."

Going to a place that would remind him of Levi wasn't exactly Erwin's idea of a fun outing, but she was right; he was interested. If and when the day ever came that Levi returned, he might need to check in to such a place. Erwin would want it to be the best facility available, and he still clung to hope.

"All right. I'll see if I can arrange something. Do you have the address of this place you want to show me?"

"Sure do. I'll text it to you after we hang up. Just let me know when you can be there and I'll meet you in the parking lot. You'll need me to get inside the building."

Erwin's brows rose. "I thought you said that you had security concerns about this facility. Sounds to me like they have it well restricted, if a police chief can't get in without your help."

"You would have to be on the guest list like everyone else, if you weren't checking in or coming to handle an emergency. My concern is with internal staff. I need your insight to be sure none of them are supplying any of the patients. It can happen, you know."

"I see." Erwin shrugged. "All right, I can sacrifice a few hours to do this with you. Let me contact people first, though. They may not be free for babysitting and if that's the case, we'll have to do it another time."

* * *

As luck would have it, Eren was free to watch Dylan for him. He happened to be at home watching the very game Erwin had been looking forward to, and he told him to go ahead and bring the baby over. Erwin had some doubts about leaving his son with Eren alone to watch him, because while he liked the young man, Eren could get easily distracted. He relaxed when he arrived and found that Armin was there with him, though it surprised him that the scholarly blond would have any interest in watching sports.

He left Dylan in their care, trusting that between the two of them they could handle the boy without any catastrophes happening. Erwin put in the address to the clinic on his navigator, and it took him around forty-five minutes to make it there. Hange wasn't kidding about it being far uptown. It was an impressive building with attractively trimmed hedges lining the walkways and five stories.

Hange was waiting by the front entrance, and she approached Erwin's car as he pulled up and parked it. "Hi there," she greeted when he opened the door and stepped out. "Right this way. I usually use the back entrance, but I want you to see the main lobby. It's really nice."

"All right."

Erwin followed her through the main entrance, where she swiped a security badge to activate the doors. Hange waved at the receptionist and the security guards. They obviously knew who she was. She signed herself and Erwin in as visitors, and then she began the tour. She explained that the lower floor was where the recreation rooms, the administrative office and the cafeteria were located. The second floor was for treatment and medical storage, and the top three floors were for the patient rooms.

She showed him the television room and the exercise room, then the computer room. "There's an outdoor area too, through the back," she explained. "It's fenced in, but nice. Patients who smoke can sit out there, as long as they don't do something to lose their cigarette privileges. Some people like to eat out there too."

"They can lose cigarette privileges?" Erwin raised a brow. "Seems fairly restrictive. I would think restricting that could cause an upheaval with recovering addicts."

Hange shrugged. "The only way they can lose the right to smoke on the grounds is if they abuse it and try to sneak one inside. It's a smoke-free facility, and it's government sponsored for hard cases. They don't play around."

"Interesting." Erwin looked around. The atmosphere was a lot like a hospital, which was to be expected in a place like this.

"That's the cafeteria," Hange said, pointing down the hall at a pair of open double doors. "There's also a community kitchen in there for people that want to learn to cook, or if they already know how and want to prepare their own food. But that's not really what I wanted to show you. In fact, I have to admit that my excuse to get you here was just a ruse."

He made a low sound of disapproval in his throat. "Exactly what are you up to, Hange?"

She smiled at him, and there was something both mischievous and expectant in her eyes. There was also a hint of apprehension. "Come with me. I'm about to show you the most important room on this floor."

Mistrust warred with curiosity in Erwin. "Hange, if this is some prank of yours, it goes beyond inappropriate and straight into cruelty. Now tell me why you brought me here, knowing how a place like this would bring back sorrowful memories to me."

Her mouth did an interesting thing in response to that. It trembled between a frown and a smile, and her red-brown eyes softened on him. "Just trust me, Erwin. This is going to be worth it."

He sighed. At least she seemed to genuinely believe that whatever she wanted to show him would be a pleasant surprise. He couldn't believe Hange would really be careless enough of his feelings to deliberately do something to hurt him. She'd helped him over the years; especially with Levi and the baby. However wicked her sense of humor could be, she was a compassionate person at heart.

"Very well. I'll go along with it."

She led him past the cafeteria to a large room at the back of the hallway, near the exit to the outside area she'd mentioned earlier. The room was on the left with one of the double doors propped open, presumably to allow better air circulation. Hange stopped in front of it, gestured and leaned closer to whisper at Erwin.

"This is where the real healing begins," she told him. "Medication to treat withdrawal symptoms, anxiety and depression are all well and good, but it's talking about and owning up to their problems that helps mend the past for these people, helps them move on. I think this group session just started, so listen in."

Erwin didn't really want to listen to a group of addicts talk about their steps and relive their experiences. He'd seen it before with friends in his younger years, he'd seen it with people he'd arrested and tried to help, and he'd seen it on a very personal level with Levi. He couldn't see the point in subjecting himself to this, but because Hange was so insistent, he did as she advised and listened.

A meth addict talked about the damage she did to her family with her habits. An alcoholic talked about waking up with bruised and bloody knuckles to discover he'd damaged them through beating his girlfriend half to death. They were all sitting on chairs situated in a circle so that they were facing each other. It was nothing particularly new to Erwin, and his expression darkened with each story he heard.

Then the group leader—a man by the name of Gunther—looked at someone whose back was turned to the door. He had an encouraging expression on his rather gruff looking face, and he nodded meaningfully at the small, dark-haired person that Erwin could only assume was male by the undercut he wore his hair in and what he could tell of his build. He'd been wrong about such things before, so he didn't allow himself to presume too much. Still, with the individual straddling the chair they'd turned backwards, it afforded Erwin an excellent view of their backside.

Something about the person that Gunther and the others were now facing caught Erwin's attention. The hair, the width of the shoulders, the narrowness of the waist...it reminded him painfully of the one addict he would have given anything to see again.

"You don't have to," Gunther said to the person in the backwards chair, "but we're here for you."

Erwin peered at the individual Gunther was encouraging, and then a familiar scent that he could never forget reached him. The person lifted his head and spoke, and that was the final confirmation Erwin needed.

"My name is Levi. I'm a heroin addict."

* * *

Hange watched her friend with anticipation. This could either go very good, or very bad. At the very least, she knew how hard Erwin had been trying to track down Levi, how badly he wanted to know that he was all right, if nothing else. She saw Erwin's face go blank, and it was impossible to tell what was on his mind. Then the blond man spoke, and she knew she'd done the right thing.

"Levi," rasped Erwin softly. "It's really him."

Hange smiled, leaned closer to him and patted him on a broad shoulder. "Yes, it's really him. I saw him a couple of weeks ago when I came to check this place out. I left before he could see me. He doesn't know I was here."

"You knew he was here for this long, and you didn't tell me?" Erwin's gaze slid sidelong to her, and his jaw clenched.

Hange winced. "Don't be mad. I almost told you right away, but after looking into it further, I found out he'd just arrived. You were already dealing with the stress of Dylan being sick, and Levi hadn't settled in yet. I decided it was better for both of you if I gave things time to settle down. You both needed time to level out before seeing each other again. Levi needed to start his program and face some things, you needed to take care of your son. No, don't go in there!"

Hange grabbed Erwin's arm to stop him when the alpha impulsively started forward as if planning to walk into the room. "Let the session finish first. Don't interrupt it and cause a big scene, Erwin. You can talk to Levi when he comes out. For now, just listen."

* * *

Erwin went hot and cold at once, and he shook inwardly with a rush of emotion that shouldn't have surprised him, yet still did. He'd foolishly entertained the notion that he was prepared to see Levi again if that day ever came. He'd battled with his longing and regret for over a year, and while he always thought about the omega and hoped to see him again, Erwin believed he'd more or less come to terms with the situation.

Seeing him again, smelling his scent and hearing his voice made all those walls Erwin had built come crumbling down as if they'd never been. He took Hange's advice simply because he was so stunned that he feared he might collapse. Levi began to speak after the rest of the group welcomed him.

"I got caught up in some bad shit," explained Levi.

 _~No kidding,~_ thought Erwin. _~Through no fault of your own, love.~_

"I never planned on it. Didn't think it could happen to me," Levi went on. He paused, tensing as he gathered his thoughts.

"Nobody ever plans on being an addict," soothed Gunther. "I don't think any of us thought it could happen to us. Go on, Levi."

"Anyway," Levi sighed, "I got hooked on the shit. Found out I was pregnant, so I stopped for a while. I gave the baby up to his sire. I wasn't in a place to take care of it...or maybe I was just too selfish and cowardly to try. I took off after that and haven't seen the kid or his father since then. Tried to start a new life, and for the first few months, I thought I might be able to. I fell back into the habit instead. I overdosed in a moment of shitty weakness, hit rock bottom and had a choice between doing jail time for drug abuse or entering a rehab program. If that hadn't happened, I'd probably still be where I was, shooting up and sinking deeper into the shitter."

Levi heaved another sigh while his companions waited patiently. "I guess sometimes it takes getting caught and forced to make a choice to turn things around. I could have gone to the program where I was at, but...I decided to come home for my therapy. The judge allowed it. The state even funded the transfer, so here I am...whining about my problems like a jackass."

Gunther smirked. Now that it was apparent Levi had said his piece, the group leader spoke. "We're all here 'whining about our problems'. Getting things off your chest is part of the therapy. What's your goal, Levi? Do you have an endgame?"

Levi didn't answer immediately, probably because he wasn't used to sharing his personal thoughts or feelings. He finally spoke in a guarded, thoughtful manner.

"Endgame, huh? I want to be able to see my kid. I...also want to see his dad again. First I've got to clean up my act. I don't know what I want after that. Job one is to get clean and stay that way, and I guess the rest will come to me after that."

Gunther nodded in approval. "That's a good set of goals to have. It's sensible, and you're prioritizing getting clean first. That's what we all need to do, because we can't reconcile with family until we can reconcile with ourselves. Thank you, Levi. We love you."

"We love you, Levi," the other participants repeated. It almost would have sounded like a cult, but their response wasn't rehearsed or uniform.

"All right, good session, everyone," Gunther said. "Remember to talk to administration if you want to set up personal group sessions with friends and family members. Check the schedule to find out when the next group session is. You don't have to attend every one of them, but you do need to go to at least two per week. Take it easy and be strong, guys."

Everyone got up and started to leave. Some lingered behind to chat with each other, but Levi went straight for the door. Erwin felt panic overtaking him. For a wild moment, he thought of trying to hide before Levi could see him. He wasn't supposed to be here. Levi had made it clear that he wasn't ready to see anyone he knew yet, and how would he react if he ran straight into Erwin? Probably not well.

The alpha stood rooted to the spot. His pride wouldn't allow him to act on the impulse to run away.

* * *

Levi kept his head down as he walked through the open door. He felt too exposed. The literature he'd read through said that was a normal state to be in after laying oneself bare in a group setting, but for Levi, it was agonizing. Those barriers he'd erected were his protection. While he'd only given them the abridged version and left out the gory details, it was still more than he'd ever told anyone he wasn't close to. Not even his family and friends knew as much about his situation as these virtual strangers did now.

All Levi wanted to do was get the hell out of there, go to his room and curl up on his bed. It hurt to know that he'd just opened up more to these people than he had to those who knew him, cared for him. At the same time, it felt good to let out some of the truth; even if it was only a fraction of it.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he bumped into a tall, hard body forcefully enough to knock the breath out of him for a second. Levi recovered quickly, raised his head and prepared to blurt an insult—though he knew the collision was probably his fault. His breath caught, and his snarky words died on suddenly frozen lips.

_~Can't be.~_

But as Levi stared up into the intense blue eyes of the man he'd bumped into, took in the handsome, aristocratic features and the immaculately groomed golden-blond hair, he couldn't deny it. The scent of this alpha was the same as he remembered, yet it swam through his senses as if he was smelling it for the first time. There were lines of care around Erwin's wide mouth that weren't there the last time Levi had seen him. They were faint and hard to notice, but Levi spotted them immediately and he thought to himself: _"I put those there."_

After the initial plunge into shock, it occurred to Levi that Erwin was even more beautiful than he remembered. He just stood there staring down at him, and those stunning blue eyes softened. There was sadness in them, but also joy.

"Erwin," Levi said. His voice came out raspy. Even speaking that name aloud was like saying some kind of prayer to him. Levi never did it except for when he was alone. He usually whispered the name to himself at night while trying to get to sleep, hugging his pillow for comfort like a scared kid.

It was then that Levi noticed another familiar face, just behind Erwin and off to the right. "Hange." He narrowed his eyes at her, and it suddenly made sense. "I knew it. I _knew_ I fucking saw you that day. You set this up, didn't you?"

"Yes, it was me and yes, I did," she admitted boldly. There was no smile on her face, no sign of prideful satisfaction for orchestrating this meeting. Her eyes said that she knew she'd done something that would test their friendship, and that she was prepared to take that risk.

"Why?" Levi demanded. "You had to have known I didn't want to see anyone, you stupid bitch. Otherwise I would have—"

"Stayed where you were, rather than come back home to Mitras," she interrupted. "Before you explode and ruin this opportunity, you should think about this, Levi. You came back for a reason. Not just to get clean. You could have done that in Trost without ever risking bumping into anyone from your past. No, you came home because you want your life back. You want the people you care about back in it, and I think there's some small part of you that was hoping the decision to surface again would be taken out of your hands by chance."

Hange shrugged and spread her hands. "Or by a meddlesome friend that can't leave well enough alone, take your pick. Be mad at me if you want. That's fine. Don't take it out on Erwin, though. He didn't know about anymore than you did. I brought him here in the hopes that once you two saw each other again, you might both stop being so miserable."

Levi looked up at Erwin again, who was listening quietly. It wasn't hard to read the man's expression for once. He met Levi's eyes with naked longing. He hadn't even spoken yet. He almost looked like he was on the verge of tears, but his eyes remained dry.

"Shit," Levi breathed.

He combed his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes. This wasn't how he wanted Erwin to see him again for the first time in a year. He'd had a vision in his head of showing up at Erwin's door after completing his therapy, clean and in control of himself. He would greet Erwin calmly, ask how he'd been and get invited inside. He'd meet his son, tell him who he really was to him and then talk all day with Erwin about everything that had happened in the time he'd been gone. Maybe they'd have dinner together, tuck Dylan in for the night and then stay up talking until dawn. Erwin would hold him, and this time when he tried to kiss him, Levi wouldn't stop him.

That was how he'd been fantasizing it would happen, anyway. He hadn't pictured Erwin watching him strip himself bare in front of others, still broken and unready to truly face the world again.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Levi asked of Erwin, his voice low and carefully controlled. He knew that he was wearing a bland expression, but his spirit was anything but calm.

The alpha's throat moved as he swallowed, and then he finally spoke. "I'm proud of you."

Those four simple words were almost enough to shatter Levi's tenuous hold on his composure. His ears even rung from the effort he made to keep his emotions in check. He had to take a steadying breath, and he couldn't yet bring himself to respond.

Hange saved him the trouble of trying to come up with words to say. "Levi, I signed Erwin and myself in as visitors. It was a gamble, but I was counting on you being too happy to see him to send us away. It's in your hands, Levi. If you want to talk to Erwin, we can go to your room and I'll give you two some privacy. Nobody will bother you."

Levi looked between his two friends, torn. Yes, he could get the attention of the staff and tell them he didn't want any visitors. Hange and Erwin would be escorted out, regardless of the former's status in the medical community. Patients weren't required to see visitors. Their emotional well-being was more important than the desire of friends and family to see them.

However, if he turned them away, he would hurt Erwin even more. He would hurt _himself_ even more. Now that he saw Erwin again, all of those feelings he'd tried to bottle up came rushing back. He couldn't send them away. He had to at least explain to Erwin, had to try and earn his forgiveness.

"I'm on the top floor with the female patients and other omegas," he said at last. "If it's really what you want, Erwin, we can talk."

* * *

Hange did as she said she would, though there was surely some rule against leaving an omega patient alone with an alpha visitor. Even if that visitor happened to be the omega's mate and spouse, Erwin knew there were rules against sexual fraternization while people were in a program to get clean. They wanted patients to focus on getting well, without the distraction of romance or sex.

Not that Erwin would try to do anything with Levi, especially in this setting. He didn't know what all Levi had been up to since he last saw him, but he suspected the man still had issues with intimacy. He wondered if Levi had sex with anyone during his self-imposed exile. If he had, he must have been strung out to be able to go through with it. The thought didn't sit well with Erwin.

Now they were alone together in Levi's room, and Erwin didn't know where to begin. Levi apparently didn't either. They stood looking at each other by the entrance for a long while, and Erwin finally broke the omega's gaze to have a look around.

It was a bit like a hotel room with some hospital room elements to it. The floors were linoleum and the walls were a cream white color. There was a rolling dining tray by the single big window. The window had vertical blinds mounted on it for shade. There was a wall-mounted television on the left wall, a small bookshelf underneath it with a few books and magazines, a pair of recliners facing the television, and a single bed against the far right wall. There was a closet near the entrance door and what Erwin assumed to be the door to a personal bathroom opposite to that.

Erwin didn't see any phones in the room, but there was an intercom unit on the wall just above the bed with a volume adjustment knob and a call button for staff, should the resident require medical aid. There were a couple of landscape paintings on the wall for decoration, but other than that the place was fairly sterile in appearance.

"It's nice," Erwin finally commented, needing to break the silence.

Levi glanced around and shrugged. "It's better than some cell. It serves its purpose. Want to sit down?"

Erwin nodded, and he took the chair furthest from the window, suspecting Levi would want the one closer to it. Levi claimed the other chair, and Erwin discovered that they swiveled when the Omega turned his to face Erwin's. Levi was sitting up straight and stiff, and he clasped his hands in his lap. Erwin tried to put on a relaxed and confident air, though he was quaking inside. It felt almost surreal to be this close to Levi again.

"They can lock us in our rooms if they want to," Levi explained casually. "They did it to me on my third night here, because I was having withdrawals and started acting out. They bring you whatever you want from the cafeteria when they do that and they check on you regularly until they think you're calm enough to roam the building freely again."

"I see." Erwin understood the reasoning behind that policy. It protected both the troubled patient and those around them, gave them the chance to cool down without putting them in some isolation room or restraining them. "What do they do if it's really bad? For example, if a patient starts to injure themselves or gets overtly violent?"

"Then they have some goons come sedate them and it's off to a padded cell with them for a while," answered Levi flatly. "I haven't personally experienced it yet, but I hear it sets people's progress back and they lose some privileges for a while after each incident."

"Hopefully, you'll never be one of those patients."

"Yeah."

Levi suddenly got up, paced in a circle and then went to his bookshelf. He collected a book from it and he showed it to Eren without actually offering it to him, holding it up for his inspection. "This is my personal diary. It's got a lock on it, see? Feels kind of juvenile and girlish to me, but they give us all one of these so we can put our thoughts down every day, set our goals and have a safe outlet for our feelings. I've also got a daily journal I have to write in each day, documenting my progress and what I've learned that day, if anything. That's a mandatory requirement. Only our assigned sponsors are allowed to look at it though. It's up to us if we want to share anything in it at group therapy."

Erwin nodded. "That seems like a good policy. I have to say I'm impressed. They have a solid system here."

Levi put his diary back where he'd gotten it from, and he sat back down with a sigh. "That's why they suggested this place to me when I agreed to go into rehab. At first I was four-square against it, even if this facility already had a higher success rate at rehabilitating people than most others in the country."

"What made you change your mind?"

Levi met his gaze, and he faltered the slightest bit. The brief shadow of pain in his eyes hurt Erwin's heart. "I guess Hange was right. I wanted to be close to the people that matter to me, even if I'm not ready to see them yet. It was almost like a compulsion, like this place was drawing me back home and I couldn't fight it. I've got a lot of demons here, but I've got lots of reasons to come back, too."

Erwin didn't know how to respond to that, so he tried to get Levi to tell him more. "What happened, Levi? What made you fall back into the habit and get to this point? You just stopped contacting me, and your email address disappeared."

"I know." The omega sighed. "I knew the road I was heading down. Didn't want to give it away to you because I knew you'd worry and try to talk me down. I couldn't handle doing that to you. What made me get to this point is simple: I hit rock bottom. I had one or two fixes before that, but then Dylan's birthday came and it hit me: _'My son's a year old, and I haven't seen him since he was born'_."

Levi dropped his gaze and gave a little shrug. He picked at a loose thread on his black pants. "It was too much. I needed to dull the pain. Maybe I just wasn't strong enough to face up to my own actions. Either way, I got invited to a drug party. I took more than I should have, ended up frothing at the mouth on the bathroom floor, apparently. I woke up in restraints at a hospital with fluids being fed into me. They'd flushed out my system with some kind of meds. I was furious about getting my high taken away from me. I must have ranted like a lunatic."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Erwin told him kindly. He smiled, again relieved to see Levi fighting to pick up the pieces of his life instead of running away from what haunted him. "Am I right in assuming you were 'Fubar Needleman' on Facebook?"

Levi flushed, pausing in his fiddling. "Yeah. It's all I could come up with when I made the account. I just wanted...even though I was avoiding you, I still wanted..."

"You wanted to be able to see what was happening in Dylan's life," finished Erwin gently. "I understand, and I'm not upset with you."

Levi nodded silently. He still bore the countenance of one who was ashamed, though he wore it better than most. Erwin scooted to the edge of his seat and leaned forward. He reached across the distance to lay his hands over Levi's smaller, fiddling ones. When the pale gaze lifted to meet his, Erwin used the patient, reasonable tone of voice he'd adapted over the years for negotiating purposes. The big difference was that in this case, he was completely sincere rather than trying to stall for time in a crisis.

"Levi, the promise I made to you still stands. I'm here for you, and I'll help you however I can. We have a history together, complex though it may be. We also share a child together, regardless of how he was conceived."

Erwin hated to yet again bring up the circumstances of how Levi had ended up pregnant, but he found it encouraging when the omega didn't wince. Levi barely even blinked, in fact.

"Yeah. You've been a good dad for him." He met Erwin's gaze again pensively. " _Do_ we share Dylan, Erwin? You named him, you've fed him, clothed him, taken care of him. You were the one changing his diapers and comforting him when he was sick. I just dumped him on you and—"

"Levi, don't," Erwin said firmly. "Don't talk like that. You were in a very bad place, and I offered you a way out. If anything, I'm at fault for making it too easy for you to...to..."

Erwin almost said "escape", but it felt so wrong to him. He did what he did because he'd grown so attached to Levi and that baby, even before he gave birth.

"Skip out?" Levi offered with a rueful smirk. "Don't try to candy-coat it, Smith. You're too generous for your own good sometimes."

Erwin sighed. He released Levi's hands and he dropped back, emotionally drained. "Am I? I think when it comes to you, there's an exception to my general rule. You wouldn't think I was so generous if you'd ever seen me deal with most criminals."

Levi tilted his head, narrowed his eyes on him. "You killed my rapist."

It was said as a statement of fact, not an accusation or adulation for the deed Erwin did in his initial attempt to arrest Slater. Erwin nodded silently.

"I know you aren't a pushover," Levi went on. "What I've never been able to figure out yet, however, is why you made me the exception and not the rule. I've heard things about what a hard-ass you can be. You've never been anything but kind to me. I'm not used to that. Not even from my own family."

Erwin still hadn't quite figured that out, himself. "I could tell you that you had mitigating circumstances that compelled me to treat you with exceptional kindness. I could tell you that you caught me in a rare moment and it just went on from there."

Erwin mulled over it for a moment, scanning the smaller man with his eyes. Being near Levi again, smelling his omega scent and gazing into the man's hooded, mysterious eyes made his heart beat faster. There was no denying the magnetism between the two of them. Erwin felt in his heart of hearts that he would never be satisfied with another partner. Levi had spoiled him for all others, and that in itself could prove to be a tragedy. The chances of Levi ever being able to have a normal sex life again were slim, regardless of his expressed reciprocation of Erwin's feelings.

"I think the truth is more simple," Erwin went on. He leaned forward, and he reached across the distance to take Levi's hands in his. "You're special, Levi. To me, personally. I felt drawn to you from the moment I met you. It wasn't just physical attraction. Something about your mannerisms, the way you speak and move...they were all my foils. I was never really a believer in the theory that every alpha has his destined mate...that he'll know his omega when he sees him and it's then sealed. Now I'm forced to revise that belief. I don't know if it's fate or if there really is such a thing as love at first sight, but you got under my skin from the beginning."

Levi visibly swallowed, his normally sleepy gaze widening a bit. "That was...quite a mouthful."

Erwin smiled. "I know. I hope I didn't go too far. I was only trying to be honest with you."

"You love me?" whispered Levi.

Erwin held his gaze, and his smile faded into a somber expression. "I think you already know I do."

Levi dropped his stare to the big hands holding his. "I don't deserve it. I may never be able to give you what you want, Erwin. Doesn't matter that I...I love you too."

Hearing Levi admit it made Erwin's heart soar, and he grinned despite the defeatist attitude Levi demonstrated about their possible future. "Sex isn't everything, Levi."

"For an alpha, it comes damned close," Levi pointed out. "Omegas too, for that matter. What happens if we can never fuck without me losing my shit on you? Eventually, you're going to want that intimacy, that closeness. Knowing you, you'll just suffer instead of looking for it somewhere else because you're a noble fool like that. It'll poison our relationship. You'll come to resent me."

"That's enough, Levi," Erwin stated calmly. "You're projecting too far into the future. Right now, I want you to focus on getting better. The rest can come with time. Just tell me what you need, and I'll see to it that you get it."

Levi looked away, biting his lip. Erwin waited patiently, sensing that this was an important moment, an exercise of trust and faith. When the omega's gaze met his again, the silvery eyes were tired and apprehensive at once.

"I want to see my son...though I've got no right to call him that."

"You have _every_ right," insisted Erwin. "You did what you thought was best for Dylan, but I never entertained the thought of keeping you apart from him. My biggest hope was that some day, you would be ready to be in his life as a parent. You can see him anytime you want, Levi. Today even, if you can get a pass to leave or they'll allow me to bring him here."

"They won't let children under a certain age visit this place," informed the omega. "It's against policy because they think little kids and babies would be too disruptive. I haven't asked for a day pass yet though. I don't think they'd raise a stink about it if I asked for one now, but they might. I haven't been here for long and they might be reluctant to let me leave. I think they usually require at least four group sessions before someone's eligible for a pass, and I've only gone to two."

"Then perhaps Hange can help us with that. I'm sure with the chief of police and a renowned doctor vouching for you, they can make an exception." Erwin was determined to reunite father with child. Maybe he shouldn't be so quick to do this; the old Erwin would have cautioned against so readily giving visitation rights to a parent in Levi's situation. He would have said it came with a risk of being turned on. He would have warned that there was a chance Levi might have a change of heart about letting the other party keep full custody, might take them to court to get his child back.

He trusted Levi, though. He knew in his heart that as long as Levi thought Erwin was taking good care of Dylan, he would never try to separate them. He wouldn't have given the baby up if he didn't believe Erwin was the ideal father to raise him.

"We can try," Levi said softly. "I just hope I'm not rushing something I should be holding off on doing. I know he won't have any idea who I am. I read that kids don't start retaining memories until they're about two years old, so he won't have any recollection of me. I just don't want to wait too long to start getting to know him."

Levi sighed, and his brows pinched. "I want to be a part of his life, Erwin. I might never be the father he deserves to have, but I don't want him growing up without knowing me, either."

"Of course you don't," agreed Erwin gently, "and of course you should be a part of his life. I've been encouraging that from the start, and I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you're back and trying to reach that goal. As I said; I'm going to help you however I can. We'll get through this, Levi. Trust me."

Erwin got up from his seat, stepped closer to Levi and bent over him. He reached out carefully to cup the back of the omega's upturned head, and he closed the distance between them with great care so as not to spook him.

"Trust me," he repeated in a whisper. He took a gamble, closing in to present Levi with a brief, soft kiss on the lips. He didn't allow it to linger, knowing he could only go so far before it crossed a line.

Levi's eyes were still closed when Erwin pulled away, and they opened slowly to gaze up at him. "I do."

Maybe it was crazy, but the way Levi said those two little words almost sounded like he was accepting a marriage vow. Erwin smiled. He couldn't help it.

"Everything is going to be all right," promised the alpha. To him, Levi was like a tragic hero in a story, a wounded soldier coming back from a war filled with horrors that other people couldn't even imagine. He intended to honor the man's strength and bravery. He would do whatever it took to help Levi set his life straight.

* * *

Hange came through for them. At first, administration was as wary of giving Levi a day pass as he'd predicted. Hange negotiated with them, however. Erwin was right about his and her references lending some political clout to the request, and she tidied it all up by using compassion as grounds for making an exception. She explained that Levi wanted to see his child, who he hadn't laid eyes on since birth. She vouched for him, taking full responsibility for any complications that might arise and insisting that Levi would follow the rules and be back by curfew.

They granted the pass. Levi tidied himself up, and he walked out of those doors in the main lobby for the first time since he'd first come to the clinic. Hange walked with them to Erwin's sedan, and she gave Levi a tight hug while Erwin unlocked the doors.

"Best of luck with your little one, Levi," she whispered into his flushed ear. "I know you'll connect right away."

"Uh, thanks." Awkward with the physical contact, he nonetheless allowed it. Levi felt some relief when Hange released him. Not that he didn't like her or appreciate what she'd done for him; he just wasn't comfortable with affection. It was hard just to accept that little kiss from Erwin earlier, and that had left him feeling light-headed and flustered.

Hange patted him on the shoulder. "Call me whenever you need. I've got patients to get back to, so I'll talk to you both later."

Levi gave her a nod, and then he got into the passenger seat of Erwin's car. It felt strange to him. This would actually be the second time he'd ridden in Erwin's car, and it reminded him of his first experience. He'd been in labor the last time he sat in this seat. Erwin had driven him to the hospital and stayed by his side while Levi brought his son into the world. The vehicle was immaculately clean, and Levi appreciated that. He buckled up while his companion got into the driver's seat, and he took a deep breath.

This was it. He was going to see his son for the first time in over a year. Levi's stomach churned at the thought, and he put a hand to it as Erwin backed out of the parking space.

"Are you okay?" Erwin asked, his blue gaze flicking to Levi before focusing on the rearview mirror.

"Fine," lied the omega. In truth, he felt like he was going to throw up. He focused his stare on his lap while Erwin drove them away from the hospital and to their destination.

"Remember what I said," Erwin told him softly. "Dylan is too young to judge you. He'll come to know you in time and he'll be glad for it, I'm sure."

Levi nodded mechanically. He knew Erwin was right, but the guilt and uncertainty gnawing at him wasn't so easy to banish.

* * *

Erwin opened the door and allowed Levi to enter his apartment first, before following behind him. He'd already called Eren and asked him to bring Dylan home. In the meantime, he thought it would be a good idea to show his guest around and let him get familiar with the changes he'd made to the apartment. He gave him a tour of the place starting with the living room, and he watched Levi quietly when they made it into Dylan's room. The omega looked around, taking in the block letters on the wall, the hanging mobile over the crib, the single bed Erwin had bought for when Dylan was old enough to use it.

"You really set it up nice," complimented Levi. He walked over to the crib and bent over to retrieve the stuffed panda he'd bought for Dylan some time back. He stroked it absently, cradling it against his chest as he examined the baseball themed wallpaper and the deco.

"He doesn't always sleep in here," informed Erwin. "Sometimes he sleeps in my bed with me. He's fairly independent, though. I think I need the closeness more than he does when he sleeps with me."

Levi smirked slightly. "Is that so? I wouldn't have picked you for the cuddling type."

"You would be surprised." Erwin smiled down at him. He of course left out the part about how often he hugged his pillow to his chest and wished it were Levi.

With a little sigh, Levi replaced the stuffed animal in the crib. "Seems so meaningless."

Erwin cocked his head. "What does?"

"This stupid bear," elaborated Levi with a gesture at it. "How is one toy supposed to make up for my absence in his life? That's what I was trying to do when I sent it, you know. I wanted him to have something from me, even if I was too selfish to come and see him in person."

Erwin gazed at him somberly as Levi turned around to face him with a troubled look on his sculpted features. "Levi, I'll say it again. You were trying to do right by that child. The panda might seem like a hollow gesture to you right now, but trust me when I say it's Dylan's very favorite toy. In fact, I feel like a fool for neglecting to pack it with his things when I took him to Eren and Mikasa's place. That bear is Dylan's 'cuddle buddy', and I don't think he'd sleep as soundly at night without it. I honestly feel like he can sense it's from you, even if he's too young to understand the situation or remember you clearly."

Levi's expression softened. "He really likes it that much?"

Erwin nodded. "He does. I think he would be devastated if anything happened to that bear."

The omega's lips briefly curled up into a smile so subtle that Erwin would have missed it if he'd blinked. "Oh."

Erwin nearly commented on that micro-expression, so enchanted by that ghost of a smile that his passions arose. He didn't get the chance. The doorbell rang, and Eren's voice could be heard calling out from the corridor outside. Levi went as stiff as a wooden doll, and Erwin thought he saw a flash of panic in his eyes.

"You don't need to show yourself," assured the blond gently. "I know you aren't ready for other people to know you're back. Just stay in here while I answer that and get Dylan. I'll try to make it brief."

Levi nodded, and he went to sit on the bed while Erwin left the room. He unconsciously smoothed out the wrinkles he caused when he sat down on it, his hands running over the cartoon dinosaur print comforter. Erwin felt pity for him, sensing his anxiety. Hopefully once Levi met and interacted with Dylan, that tension would ease and he could enjoy his visit.

Erwin left the bedroom and answered the door. He smiled at his son, who was in his car seat at Eren's feet. Armin was with the young man, and he was carrying Dylan's diaper bag.

"Hey there, little buddy," greeted Erwin. He bent over to pick the car seat up. "Did you have fun with your uncle Eren?"

"He almost had _too_ much fun," Armin informed Erwin, and Eren cringed and shot his friend a look of betrayal, but it was too late for him to stop him. "Dylan almost became a statistic in under-aged drinking."

Erwin raised a brow sharply, his gaze shooting to Eren for an explanation.

"Ah, he went for my beer," explained Eren guiltily. "I had it sitting on the coffee table, and I went to the bathroom during a commercial break and came back to catch him picking the bottle up. Don't worry, though! I stopped him before he got to drink any of it."

"I was outside on the phone," provided Armin apologetically, "otherwise I would have taken it out of his reach."

Erwin relaxed his stiffened posture. "No harm done, then. It only takes a moment for toddlers to get into something, and at least you caught it in time. I've narrowly avoided some disasters myself by turning my back on him for a moment."

Eren sighed in relief. "Thanks for not holding it against me, sir. Other than the close call with the beer, Dylan was great. Him and Armin worked on that puzzle Mikasa bought for him. He's really good at it; he figured out where most of the pieces were supposed to fit without much help."

Erwin smiled. It never surprised him to hear about the child's accomplishments, but it was always good to listen to and it always filled him with pride. "He'll rule the world someday," he predicted jokingly.

"With that quick mind, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as a world leader," said Armin seriously. "Dylan's a very bright little fellow."

"Baba," spouted Dylan, adding his tuppence.

Erwin gave a little start, looking down at the toddler in the contraption he was holding. It almost sounded like a word, and it was the first time he'd ever heard the baby speak. Dylan was squirming, trying to turn around in his car seat.

"Looks like someone's eager to get inside," observed Eren with a grin. "Maybe he misses one of his toys."

That reminded Erwin of the panda he'd forgotten to bring with Dylan, and the omega that was waiting in the child's bedroom. "Yes, he probably wants his bear. I'd better not keep him waiting for it. Thank you for your help, gentlemen. I would invite you in, but I should get Dylan settled and start making dinner."

"It's no problem," Eren assured him. "Dylan's a good kid and he's always welcome when we've got the free time to watch him for you. Armin, let's get back before Mikasa comes home. I want to order us a pizza."

"Okay. Take care, Mr. Smith." Armin waved at Erwin and Dylan, and then he walked away down the hall with Eren.

Erwin shut the door as the pair turned the corner and went out of sight. He carried Dylan into the living room, squatted down and freed him from the safety belt. "I have someone special for you to meet, son," he informed the baby, lifting him out of the seat and straightening up with him. "You probably won't remember him, but you've met him before. You haven't seen him in person since you were only seven pounds and eight ounces...a little tiny thing. You've seen his picture before, though."

"Mmmaahh?" Dylan put his thumb in his mouth and regarded Erwin with curious, dark gray eyes.

Erwin chuckled, and he bounced the child in his arms. He carried Dylan down the hall to his bedroom door, and he adjusted him in his arms so that he could turn the knob and open it. Levi looked up at them from his position on the bed, and his gaze fixated on the baby. There was a faint sense of wonder in his eyes, as though he were seeing Dylan for the first time.

"Dylan, this is Levi," introduced Erwin, carrying the baby over to his guest. He put Dylan into the stunned omega's lap, encouraging him to hold him. "He had to go away for a while, but he's come back and I think you'll be seeing a lot more of him."

Levi handled the baby gingerly, lending the impression that he was afraid he might drop him or hurt him. Dylan stared up at the face of the man that he favored enough in looks to almost pass as a clone. He reached up to tug at Levi's bangs, curling his little fingers into the strands.

"Hey, don't pull," admonished Levi, prompted by the tugging. He eased Dylan's fisted hand away. "That hurts, kid."

"Baba," said Dylan, and he smiled.

It was then that Erwin realized "baba" didn't mean bottle, as he'd first presumed. Dylan had been referring to Levi. It was obvious now, as the child stared pointedly at his maternal father and spoke as if directly addressing him. It seemed impossible that Dylan could have known Levi was in the apartment when he got dropped off. He couldn't have, could he? Yet as he said "Baba" again more loudly, Erwin couldn't refute it.

"I'll be damned," whispered the alpha. "I think he's trying to say 'Papa'. Levi, he knows who you are."

Levi flicked his gaze between the child and Erwin suspiciously. "That's absurd. He couldn't..."

"Baba!" Dylan pressed his face against Levi's chest with a sigh.

"There's your proof," insisted Erwin. "As unlikely as it might seem, he knows who you are and what you are to him. I have a framed photo of you that I keep on the mantle, and I lift him up to show it to him sometimes and tell him who you are. I've been promising him that he would see you again someday. I think that could be how he knows."

Levi seemed surprised. Obviously, he hadn't noticed his picture on the mantle when Erwin was showing him around. "You've got a picture of me?"

"Mikasa gave it to me on request," explained the blond, guessing that Levi was wondering how he got a photo of him to begin with. "It's a bit dated. She said it was from your senior photo shoot in high school. You're sitting by a hay bale with a forest backdrop."

"I remember that one," mused Levi. "I didn't want to do the pictures, but I did the shoot because Mom would have wanted me to. I didn't know Mikasa hung on to any of those."

"It's a nice picture," complimented Erwin, smiling. "You've hardly changed since it was taken, in fact."

"I'd say I've changed a lot," muttered Levi. "Maybe not on the outside, though."

Erwin nodded. Levi's eyes were the only thing about him that appeared to have aged, and that was mostly in the haunted knowledge in them.

"I'll give you two some time alone," decided Erwin. "Get to know each other while I prepare dinner for us."

Levi didn't respond to that. He obviously wasn't sure how to interact with his son, but Erwin was confident that he would figure it out when the initial newness of being reunited with Dylan wore off. He left the room, closing the door behind him. Whatever doubt Levi might be feeling right now, it couldn't possibly last for long in the face of Dylan's obvious affection for him. He just needed a little time to get used to the child.

* * *

-To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

Erwin made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner while Levi interacted with Dylan and familiarized himself with him again. When the meal was ready Erwin called out for Levi, and he carefully cut up some of the spaghetti in a little bowl for the baby. Levi joined him in the dining room, carrying Dylan with him.

"Here," instructed Erwin with a gesture at the highchair. "Unless you want to feed him in your lap. Sometimes he eats better that way."

Levi glanced at the highchair thoughtfully, and then he sat down at one of the place settings with the child. "I'll try feeding him in my lap."

Erwin hid a smile. He'd been right; Levi wasn't willing to part from Dylan, now that he'd been holding him. He helped Levi scoot his chair forward, and he went to the kitchen to pour some drinks. He nearly offered Levi some wine to go with his meal, but he rethought the offer immediately. Though alcoholism wasn't the reason Levi was in rehab, it was still a clean living facility and Erwin didn't want to return him there with the smell of alcohol on his breath, else they might revoke his day pass privileges on the grounds that Erwin was a bad influence on him.

"Would you like some iced tea?" Erwin called out instead, "or perhaps lemonade? I also have ginger ale."

"Is the tea sweetened?"

"Yes," answered the blond.

"Then I'll pass. Ginger ale would be fine," came Levi's response.

That was right; Levi preferred his tea black, and his favorite was Earl Grey, followed by gunpowder green tea. Erwin made a mental note to pick up some of both for the omega. He opened a can of ginger ale and poured it over ice for Levi, and he chose some lemonade for himself. Drinking alcohol in front of Levi without offering him any seemed rude.

"Here you are," Erwin told him as he went back into the dining room and set Levi's glass down. "Ah-ah, not for you, Dylan." He prudently slid the glass further back when he saw the baby trying to reach for it. He got out one of the sippy cups and filled it with apple juice for the baby.

"So how do I do this?" Levi asked, flushing a little over his ignorance while eyeing the child's bowl of spaghetti. "Just spoon feed it to him? Or can he handle the utensils himself?"

"He hasn't quite got the knack for using his fork or spoon on his own yet," explained Erwin. "He tries, but he ends up with more on his face than in his mouth. Oh, let me put on his bib for you."

Levi waited while the alpha secured the item around the baby's neck, tucking it into the top of his shirt. He handed Levi the little plastic spoon to feed the baby with. "I find I can take a few bites while he's still chewing his. That way my meals don't go cold while I'm trying to feed him as well."

"I see." Levi spooned up a little of the spaghetti and he brought it to the baby's mouth. Dylan was too busy staring at him to notice the food, and Levi accidentally smeared some of it on a pudgy cheek in his first attempt to put it in the baby's mouth. "Damn, I missed. Stop turning your head, kid."

"There's a bit of a learning curve," chuckled Erwin. "You'll start to be able to predict it when he's going to suddenly move on you, after a while. Not to worry; that's what the bib is for."

Levi sighed, and he wiped off Dylan's face before trying again. "Open up for Uncle Levi."

Erwin frowned at the title Levi had bestowed upon himself. Maybe it was too soon to expect Levi to start calling himself papa or father, but it didn't sit right with him to pass himself off as an uncle.

"You're his father," reminded Erwin softly.

Levi glanced at him while the baby accepted the food and started chewing it with smacking sounds. "In biology only. I haven't been the one raising him."

"But you have the chance to help raise him now," persisted Erwin. "I understand it must feel a bit awkward right now, but I think it's going to cause confusion for him if you start off calling yourself his uncle. You do intend to share custody of him eventually, don't you?"

He was afraid to ask if Levi was more inclined to take back full custody of the child once he completed his rehabilitation. It might be naive of him to think they could one day be a family together, but that was Erwin's hope for the future.

Levi hesitated. "I don't know yet. It depends on how well I do at this clinic. I can't rightfully declare myself one of his guardians until I know I'm capable of the responsibility, Erwin." He lowered his gaze with a little frown. "When I know I can stay clean and hold a steady job, then I'll call myself his father. Until then...you're his only real parent."

It was a distressing thing to hear, even if it made perfect sense. Even if Levi never touched heroin again, he would always be an addict...just as alcoholics would always be so even if they never had a drink again in their lives. The threat of giving into temptation would always be present, and there were so many factors in life that could shake Levi's resistance to his cravings.

"You can beat this," Erwin said with feeling. "I know you can. You're stronger than you think."

"I hope your right," Levi said grimly.

"You won't be alone," promised Erwin. "I'm here for you and so is Hange. I'm sure your cousin and friends will feel the same whenever you're ready for them to be in your life again."

"Hmph. You know, my uncle Kenny was never much a part in my life in the beginning, but he's the only family that has a clue about what's been going on with me. Funny how I went to him for help when I wanted to get away from here and cover my tracks."

"It seems to me this uncle of yours is exactly the sort of person you needed to turn to, in order to vanish as completely as you did." It wasn't a compliment. In fact, Erwin would have liked to beat the hell out of Kenny Ackerman for hiding Levi from him. He had to let that go, however. It was Levi's choice to run away and hide. As awful as it sounded to think of it that way, it was essentially what he'd done. Maybe Kenny understood his motivations better than others could have.

Levi shrugged. "He came through for me, to my surprise. He even told me my problem wasn't that I was trying to run away, it was that I wasn't running far enough."

Erwin blinked. It was like Levi had read his mind, but that was merely a coincidence. "What is it like? The drug cravings, I mean? I'm afraid I have no basis of comparison."

"Lucky you." Levi fed the baby another mouthful of food, took a bite himself and thought about it as he chewed. "The only thing I can think of that comes close to the itch I get when withdrawals hit me is being in heat...or in your case, in a rut. That restlessness, the inability to focus on anything other than the need to fuck...in a way it's like that. The big difference is I can't take suppressants to keep the drug cravings away. At least with precautions I can have sex to relieve a heat. I can't just shoot up heroin when I've got the urge and call it a day."

Erwin nodded. Satisfying the urge for sex during a fertility cycle was a healthy and normal thing for their kind to do, provided it was between two consenting parties. He saw the haunted look in his companion's eyes, and he realized that by bringing up the biological procreative impulses of alphas and omegas, he'd reminded himself of how he'd gotten pregnant with Dylan.

"Are you on suppressants now?" Erwin asked, hoping he wasn't overstepping himself.

"Yeah. I can't afford to go into heat while I'm trying to get this monkey off my back. Kicking the habit is hard enough without the added distraction of that."

"I can imagine." Erwin wondered when the last time was that Levi had a heat. He'd probably been taking suppressants religiously since the day he had Dylan. Erwin couldn't imagine Levi allowing his omega urges to make him need sex when he was trying to avoid such an act at all costs. He hated the thought of Levi going into a heat and seeking out relief from it with any other man, and he realized it was a silly thing for him to concern himself with.

"So you never had a relationship with anyone during the time you were away?"

As soon as he asked the question, Erwin wished he could take it back. He winced inwardly when Levi's expression darkened.

"Why the hell would I? After the things that creep did to me, I can't even watch porn anymore."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. I suppose I was thinking perhaps you would have made an exception for someone of the opposite gender."

Levi shook his head. "No, I've never been interested in girls. It was all about the dick for me until I got kidnapped."

Erwin again winced, this time because Levi was speaking so vulgarly in front of Dylan. Fortunately the child was too young to understand such talk, but he hoped Levi would try to learn to curb his language around the boy in the future. The last thing he wanted was to have their son sent home from school with a note from a teacher informing them that Dylan was spouting off expletives in class.

"Please try to censor yourself a bit in front of Dylan," admonished Erwin softly. "He'll eventually pick up on language like that if he hears it often enough."

"Oh." Levi glanced down at the baby, who was trying to reach for the spoon Levi had hovering in front of him. "Yeah. Good point. I'm not used to being around little kids."

"It's all right," soothed Erwin. "I've caught myself dropping a word bomb here or there in front of him myself. Not to cling too stubbornly to a sore subject, but what do you do if you have urges? Surely you still have needs."

"Yes, I do," admitted Levi, "and when they start getting to me, I just take care of it myself. I haven't been with anyone and...if I ever do it again..."

Levi met Erwin's gaze, and he swallowed. "If I can ever do it again, there's only one guy I'd go for. Don't ask me to paint you a picture 'cause you know who I'm talking about."

Erwin smiled. At least Levi was interested, and that was a start. "And that guy will wait for you for as long as it takes."

"Could be a really long wait," muttered the omega.

"I'm patient." Erwin took a sip of his lemonade. "Who knows what could happen in the future? You may even one day be ready to have another child."

Levi went still, his hand frozen in the act of reaching for his own drink. He stared at the glass with a faintly troubled expression. "That won't ever happen."

"I know you feel that way now, but—"

"No, I mean it really won't ever happen," interrupted Levi flatly. "I made sure of that while I was in Trost. I got fixed. Tubes are tied now. Even if I can have a half-ass normal sex life again some day, no kids are going to come out of it."

Erwin wasn't expecting to hear that. It wasn't terribly surprising to find out that Levi would take such measures, though. It was just like him to do everything in his power to ensure he never re-lived the experience he went through with Slater again, and ensuring that he could never get pregnant again was one way to do so.

The alpha wasn't sure how to feel about the news. He'd clung to the possibility that eventually, he and Levi could be a mated pair and expand their family. He should have known it would never turn out to be the picturesque ideal he'd painted in his mind. Levi was too damaged, and Erwin had never put serious thoughts into being a family man before last year.

"I understand," he said softly.

Levi was watching him suspiciously. "Do you, or are you just saying that to be polite?"

Erwin didn't answer him immediately, because he didn't want to say the wrong thing. "Levi, it's your body. I have no say in the matter, and it would be arrogant and foolish for me to assume otherwise. I can't blame you for having the procedure done. I'm just a little surprised you were able to get it done with such ease. There are usually a lot of conditions an omega has to meet in order to qualify it, because the medical community is so reluctant to meddle with fertility unless it's a health matter."

"That's why I moved to Trost," explained the omega. He fed Dylan another bite. "I couldn't have had it done here. Maybe with Hange's help I might have, but it was just easier to go somewhere that didn't have such strict requirements to get sterilized. Took a lot of research for me to figure out the most likely place I could go, but I managed."

Levi stared at him for a moment, and then he dropped his gaze and offered a low apology. "Sorry if you were hoping I'd give you a baby of your own blood someday. I told you I'm no good for you."

"Don't be silly," chided Erwin, though that had been exactly what he was thinking. "I don't want you for your womb, Levi. I can live without another child if I have to, and I can be fulfilled."

"You say that now, but—"

"Hey, people are always trying to convince you that you'll want children some day, yes?" interrupted the blond.

Levi nodded and shrugged. "That's part of being an omega, I guess. Everyone thinks we're destined to breed. Same goes for women, I guess."

"If it offends you when people make assumptions like that," reasoned Erwin, "then consider the possibility that I'm sincere when I say I can live without reproducing."

Levi's mouth twitched. "Good point. It's just that I see how good you are with Dylan and now I could picture you with a big family. Feels unfair to me that you're making vows to wait for me when I'll never be the one to give that to you, even if I can move on and have a sexual relationship with you someday."

"Let's not set our gaze too far into the future," suggested Erwin. "As we discussed before, the priority right now should be in your recovery. Once you've achieved that, the rest will come as it will. Besides, tubal ligation is reversible. At least if you _do_ have a change of heart somewhere down the road, you have that option. I'm not going to waste my time or yours putting too much focus on the maybes, though."

The answer seemed to satisfy Levi well enough. He resumed eating, and he changed the subject with a soft compliment. "Good spaghetti. Probably the best meal I've had for a month."

Erwin smiled with pleasure. "You don't cook for yourself?"

"Tch. I'm very familiar with the microwave oven," answered the omega. "I burn food when I try to cook it on the stove. The cafeteria in the clinic isn't too bad, but I think most of it is from canned goods and pre-cooked stuff they just warm up. Might as well be nuking myself TV dinners."

"Maybe some day when I have the free time for a visit, I can come and teach you something in the kitchen," offered the alpha. "That is, if you'll put me on your visitor list and want to learn a few simple recipes."

Levi smirked. "Of course I'll put you on the list. Don't expect a big success out of your efforts, though. Aside from being good at cleaning, I'm not skilled at domestics. I'd make a terrible house husband."

"Not everyone is a natural cook. Some of us have to learn the skill over time, but I'm sure with a bit of practice, you could at least put together a decent meal of chili mac or sloppy joe's."

"Trying to make me fat?" asked Levi dryly before having a drink of his ginger ale.

Erwin smiled again, tenderly. "I'm trying to make sure you're eating well. You can afford a few extra calories with gym equipment available to you in the facilities."

"I get the feeling I'm going to have to work out more than usual, with you watching after my diet."

Erwin laughed softly.

* * *

It was as hard to leave Dylan behind that evening as it had been the first time Levi did it. Now the child was old enough to express himself, and he made it known that he wasn't happy about seeing Levi walk away when Erwin dropped him off at the clinic. Levi got out of the car, opened up the rear passenger side and said his goodbyes to his son, strapped into the car seat. Dylan reached for him when Levi pulled away and closed the door, and the omega could hear him starting to cry as he walked away toward the main entrance doors.

Every step weighed heavily on the omega. It hadn't been as he'd feared it might be when he got reunited with the baby. He didn't see anything of Dylan's biological father in him. He only saw himself, and surprisingly, the only man Levi could think of as the baby's sire was Erwin.

He felt like he was abandoning his family, not just his son. It was more like Levi was walking away from his husband than a man he'd just relinquished custody of his son to. Levi glanced back at the sedan when he reached the steps, and he saw Erwin watching him. The man's stare was encouraging, but faintly regretful. He wanted Levi to go into that building and finish recovering from his addiction, but the expression on his face told Levi that he also wished he could just stay with them.

It wasn't possible though. Not right now. With a heavy sigh, Levi used the code on his temporary pass to get the doors open. He went to the reception desk to check back in and return the pass, which would expire by seven PM and be reactivated the next time he got approved to use it.

He nodded in silent greeting at staff and fellow patients he knew as they greeted him in the halls. Levi didn't stop to talk to anyone. A fellow addict named Sandy asked him how his visit with his son went. Levi didn't answer her. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet.

It was a blessing to make it up to his room with little further interaction with others, and Levi immediately locked the door, stripped and got into the shower. He stood there with his head bowed for a while, letting the heated water spray over him as if it could cleanse his soul. When the temperature of the water started to drop, he scrubbed his body off hastily and washed his hair.

He nearly went to bed in the nude, but he prudently decided to put on some pajamas instead. The staff was good about not popping into people's rooms unannounced most of the time, but since he came back in a funk, they might use the master code to open his door and come in to check on him in the morning. He didn't want to get caught naked by any of them, even if only female staff members were allowed entrance to his room unless there was some kind of disruption.

Settling for a white singlet and a pair of navy blue pajama bottoms, Levi dimmed the lights, climbed into his bed and set his phone on the nightstand. He lay down on his back and propped an arm beneath his head, staring up at the ceiling. He thought about Dylan for a long time, lying there in the dark. He thought about what he wanted for the child in the future, what he could do to help him on his way, help him grow up to be a strong, successful young man. Whether he turned out to be an alpha or an omega, Levi was sure Dylan had a strength of spirit in him that would carry him far in life.

"Just don't fall into the trap of drugs, kid," whispered Levi with a sigh. It didn't matter that his addiction was the result of narcotics that were forced on him. Levi had failed to stay off of them once he was free of his kidnapper. He'd given into weakness, gone careening down a self-destructive path that nearly cost him his life.

His thoughts turned to Erwin. Erwin, who had done so much for him and Dylan, who had taken on a responsibility that wasn't his to bear. Some men would run from such a responsibility, even if they were the ones that sired the child. They knocked up their partners and left them to fend for themselves. Levi had seen it many times in his life. Erwin broke the mold, though. Levi was starting to think the man was some kind of saint.

Levi pictured those blue, blue eyes, the squared jaw, the little dimple in his chin and the aristocratic, sharp nose. He envisioned the broad set of Erwin's shoulders, his statuesque build, the golden blond of his hair. He thought of the alpha's mouth and how many times Levi had wanted to marry it with his own, kiss Erwin until both their knees buckled. How he wished he had the courage to yank the alpha's shirt open, to slide the material off and run his hands over his powerful chest, feel his heart pounding under his palm.

Levi squirmed on the bed, grimacing as his crotch swelled and his body started producing slick. He'd come to accept that he couldn't control his omega desires or the way he reacted to his fantasies of Erwin. He couldn't banish his sexual urges, much as he'd fretted over that regularly. There was no help for it, and his mind was fast becoming trapped in another of those erotic fantasies.

Levi reached down with the arm he wasn't pillowing his head with, his hand inching its way over his body. He brushed his thumb against a nipple, lips parting on a sigh. It pebbled quickly, and he pinched it a little before rubbing it. His hips began to undulate, and he imagined it was Erwin's touch he was feeling, rather than his own.

"Nnhh...Erwin..."

Levi slid his hand under his shirt to tease his nipples until they were both hard little peaks, tingling and sensitized. He pulled his hand lower, spread his legs and palmed the swell of his package beneath the sleep pants. He turned his head to the side, breathing faster and closing his eyes. His hand rubbed and squeezed, stroking the length of his erection.

For the first time in a while, Levi thought about what it felt like to have someone inside of him. He avoided memories specific to his time as Slater's captive, instead focusing on recalling the sensations he'd experienced before that happened, during times he'd had consensual sex.

It was a distant memory. It felt like a lifetime ago, but still, his body remembered that fullness, that pulsing feeling inside of him when a partner's cock stroked him just right inside. He remembered the way his body would shake with pleasure when that partner was an alpha and knotting occurred. Levi hadn't had much experience with that aspect of sex with alphas before his ordeal, but he remembered how intense it was. He could only imagine how mind-blowing it would be to knot with Erwin during sex.

He shoved his hands down his pants, unable to take it any longer. His fingers curled around the heated, stiffened flesh he found, and he started pumping it. His breath caught, and he straightened out the arm he'd been resting his head on to fondle his nipples.

He was tempted to finger himself. He hadn't done that for a very long time, and his ass was throbbing with need. Levi was sure he wouldn't get enough satisfaction with that if he bothered to try. His fingers were long for his size, but slender. He needed something...thick.

Horny, frustrated and determined to get himself off, Levi kept thinking about Erwin as his hand jerked faster under his pants. He felt it escalating, and he hastily stopped playing with his nipples to reach out for the box of tissues sitting next to his phone.

Would Erwin be rough, or would he be gentle? Maybe a bit of both? Levi couldn't picture him starting off rough...not when the alpha knew what he'd been through. He could imagine him losing his composure eventually, though.

The thought thrilled Levi, even as it scared him. Imagining Erwin becoming impassioned enough in bed to get forceful was exciting, yet the fear of how it would actually pan out in the moment stayed with the omega. Even if he wanted that passion, even if he desired to see Erwin let the alpha out on him, he didn't know if he could take it without panicking.

He would just have to settle for his fantasies for a while. They were safe. He had the control in these moments. Levi stopped over-thinking it, let himself sink fully into the scenario and just went with it. Sweaty, heated bodies grinding and thrusting, open mouths seeking each other out, tongues wrestling together.

His climax was harder this time than it had been the last. Levi could only assume it was because he'd seen Erwin in the flesh again, spent the day with him and still detected the lingering alpha scent from the man clinging to the clothes he'd put in his laundry basket. It all made the experience more vivid and intense for him.

"Ahhh...Erwin," moaned Levi, shuddering. He barely had the presence of mind to yank his pants down before the inevitable mess occurred. Panting, he slowed the motions of his hand and he waited until he'd fully expelled his spunk before stopping. He caught his breath, bangs falling over one eye and head turned to the wall. The afterglow was so nice that he almost fell asleep, but then he moved the hand that he'd been jerking off with, felt the slippery smear on his stomach and remembered to wipe himself off with the tissue.

"Damn," Levi breathed, looking down at himself.

One tissue wasn't going to be enough this time. He reached for another one to rectify the situation. Once finished, he balled up both tissues and dropped them in the waste paper basket near his nightstand. With a sigh, he straightened up his pajamas, rolled onto his side and situated his extra pillow so that he could hug it.

* * *

Erwin tried to keep in touch without crowding Levi. It was difficult for him to keep Levi's return a secret from Mikasa and Eren, but Erwin was adept at maintaining a poker face. He kept to his daily routines, dropping Dylan off at daycare during the week whenever Mikasa and Eren weren't available to watch him.

He tried to be patient when his work schedule and Levi's therapy kept them both too busy for visits. It wasn't easy to overpower his distraction and focus on his job. He came close to getting shot during a drug raid because Levi sent him a text and being the fool that he was, Erwin looked at it right away to see what it was instead of holding off until the task was completed. Mike knocked him down as bullets started flying, and Erwin's phone went skittering across the pavement to get crushed under the feet of scattering police officers.

What was worse, Erwin blamed Mike for that and he lashed out at him. Being not only his supervising chief but also his closest friend, Mike bluntly rebutted him, telling him he wasn't going to be any good to either Levi or Dylan if he got himself killed in a moment of carelessness.

That close call snapped Erwin out of it, somewhat. His friend was right; he couldn't afford to let his personal feelings about Levi's situation interfere with his concentration on the job. If he got killed, then Dylan could end up in foster care if Mikasa couldn't get custody of him as a relative. He sure as hell didn't want that for the child. He was the only parent Dylan had ever known.

From that day on, Erwin firmly pushed his personal life into the background while he was on the job. He visited Levi when he could, picked him up for some time away from the clinic when he could get his day passes, and tried very hard not to make any moves on him when they were together.

Levi's progress was going well. After two months in rehab, he was sharing more with the group, helping with projects around the facilities and even offering an ear to new arrivals on his own free time. He told Erwin that he wasn't much good at comforting people with words—which Erwin already knew—but he was a good listener and if people needed some tough love, Levi was the perfect one to give it to them.

Everything seemed to be going okay until the day Erwin got a phone call at work from Hange, just shy of Levi's third month in the clinic.

* * *

"Chief, there's a Dr. Zoë on line 2 for you," announced one of the dispatch workers over the speaker on Erwin's business phone. "It sounds pretty important."

"I'll take it," he said without hesitation. He picked up immediately and pressed the button for line 2. "Good morning, Hange. What can I help you with?"

"Well, there's been a situation," she informed him. "As you can probably guess, this call is about Levi."

Erwin tensed. He hadn't heard from Levi for over three days, and the omega was usually good about sending him texts at least every other day to let him know how his progress was coming along. "What is it? Did he violate his probation? Did he have a relapse? Get into a fight with someone?"

"Calm down and let me explain," Hange urged him. "It's none of the above. Levi wouldn't risk sneaking out to have a fix, not when he's this close to being released from in-patient restricted treatment. He's been restless lately, feeling boxed in. It got worse a few days ago, and we discovered that part of the reason is because the meds he's been issued to help control his cravings have interfered with his suppressants. Levi went into a full blown heat cycle on Tuesday. As his personal doctor, they called me to tell me about it."

"He went into heat?" That would explain the sudden decline of communication. Erwin frowned, thinking of how many alphas must be in that facility, both in the staff and in the patient population.

"Hange, please tell me there wasn't an incident of someone trying to corner him."

He would kill someone if they tried.

"No, no! Don't jump to conclusions, big guy. They caught what was happening before it got out of hand. They put Levi in a special, isolated wing for omegas under circumstances like this. Apparently this has happened before, so they were prepared for it. They treated him for his heat symptoms with tranquilizers and fever reducers under my directive. He got through it okay and was released from isolation to return to his regular floor this morning, but now Levi is...well, he doesn't want to be there anymore."

"I...see. What has he said? He hasn't contacted me."

Hange sighed. "Because he's upset and feels he's burdened you enough. It shook him a little to go into heat like that while he was trying to make it through this clean living program. I went there personally to speak with him early this morning, and he's chomping at the bit to get out of that clinic."

"Why?" Erwin asked. "He's doing so well. Why would he jeopardize the progress he's made?"

"Like I said," she explained, "he's feeling too boxed in. Almost claustrophobic, in fact. He told me there are too many alphas around him, and he could smell them while he was in heat even though he was in an area where alphas are prohibited. He doesn't feel safe anymore, and he feels trapped. Apparently, they never informed him that his meds could interfere with his suppressants. I'm just as much to blame as they are, in fact. I shouldn't have assumed they would cover that part and I never mentioned it either. As you can imagine, he was angry to find out _after_ the fact."

Erwin sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What can we do, then? Is there another clinic somewhere in the city specifically for omegas? Or females and omegas? With no alpha staff on the grounds, perhaps?"

"I'm afraid not," sighed Hange. "As you know, omegas are a rare type. There aren't enough of them to justify the cost to build a rehab center just for them. There are some places that only admit women and omegas, but alphas can still visit admitted family members there, and I doubt the staff is completely alpha free as well."

"Damn it." Erwin muttered. "I don't want to see his efforts go to waste, but if he's as discontent and anxious as you say, we've got to figure something out."

"I think I may have a solution," Hange said. "It's not a perfect solution, but it may allow him to keep up his therapy in an environment more comfortable for him. He could stay with family members—"

"No. He hasn't told Mikasa he's back yet, and he doesn't get along with his uncle."

"—or he could come and live with you," finished Hange as if she'd already anticipated Erwin's response.

The alpha went still. "Live...with me?"

"That's right," she answered. "I think Levi gets more restless and dissatisfied after returning from a day out with you and Dylan. I think it's been hard on him, having to return to that place after getting a taste of being in a family environment and spending time with his son. It's a harsh reminder to him that he's missing out on something important in his life, and that of course makes him feel trapped the way he does. The good news is that I think I can arrange it on the premise that being with his son helps him cope with his problem and gives him incentive to stick with the program and stay clean. The bad news is that it would put more responsibility on your shoulders."

"What stipulations are we looking at, if we try this option?" Erwin's heart was beating faster at the mere thought of living with Levi, of coming home to him each day after work. He reminded himself that it probably wouldn't be some pretty domestic picture, though. There had to be rules.

"Well, for one thing he would essentially be on house arrest, at least until he's fulfilled all requirements of the first stage of his recovery. He would have to wear an ankle monitor for a couple of weeks, but he can leave the house for emergencies or if he's with you. You would get a code to punch in to a transmitter that lets federal law enforcement know that you're with him when you take him anywhere."

"That seems a bit extreme, but I understand," Erwin said. "Go on."

"Naturally, he would have to be on a schedule to attend his therapy sessions at the clinic," she continued. "They would have that schedule, so he could leave your place during certain hours without any problem—provided he shows up and checks in when he's supposed to. He has to stick with the program."

"Absolutely," agreed Erwin. He was getting more excited and hopeful by the moment. He forced himself to remain calm and level. "What else?"

"He'll have medications that he'll be expected to take. You would be given a list of what they are, how much he's to take and when they'll need refilling. This is the tricky part; you may have to police his medication...no pun intended. Levi's definitely one of the more disciplined patients, but we have to remember that he's a recovering addict and may be tempted to take more than he's prescribed at certain times. Do you have somewhere you could lock his medication away where he can't get to it?"

Erwin frowned. "Yes. I have a safe in my apartment, hidden from view. I keep my firearms in there when I don't need them on me."

"That's perfect," enthused Hange. "Then you should keep Levi's meds in there too. You'll have to distribute them to him day by day. You'll also have to be prepared to take him to the clinic if he has bad enough withdrawals to need Methadone treatment. They won't let you take that stuff home with you."

"I see." Erwin's head was reeling with how much responsibility this was going to take. "It sounds more like I'm adopting a kid, rather than taking in a full grown man."

"Well, for all intents and purposes, you're essentially going to be taking on the role of Levi's guardian until he's fit to live independently. It's not going to be easy, Erwin...on either of you. Levi will have mood swings, he'll probably lash out at you and he'll have episodes of depression. Addicts can be a lot like teenagers, really."

Erwin was silent, mulling it over. Levi didn't particularly act like a teenager to him, but he had witnessed some rather awful mood swings while Levi was pregnant, now that he recalled. He'd thought it was partly due to hormones.

"Erwin, it's a lot for one man to take on," Hange reiterated. "We can find another alternative if you don't think you can handle it. I need to know you're absolutely dedicated to this course before I start the process of releasing him to you."

"No, I'm not backing out," he assured her. "I'm just thinking of how I'm going to juggle all of this. I'm very willing to do it, Hange."

"Good," she approved, "because I would never in a million years offer this solution to anyone else. It's going to take some string pulling, but I think I can swing it. I believe it will be better for Levi in the long run."

"I think you're right." Erwin thought of how sedate Levi always seemed when he got to come over and spend time with Dylan. The boy had a calming effect on his father, without a doubt.

"Oh, there's one more thing," Hange said suddenly. "I forgot to bring it up before. Do you have a separate room Levi could sleep in?"

"Yes," Erwin immediately replied. "He can sleep in Dylan's room. There's a single bed in there, and Dylan's not going to be ready to sleep in it until he's older. What if he goes into another heat?"

"Hmm," mused Hange. "It's possible. He needs to stay on some of the meds that can interfere with regular suppressant potency. I could give you emergency suppressants that will shorten the cycle if it happens, but they won't stop it in its tracks. Do you think you could control yourself if it comes to that, Erwin?"

He hesitated briefly. He'd already lapsed once with Levi, and that was without heat pheromones clouding his senses. Erwin would never take advantage of Levi, though. That much he knew. Even if he fell to the temptation to kiss him, he'd never allow it to go beyond that unless Levi initiated it while fully aware and coherent.

"Yes, I can."

"Are you sure?" pressed Hange. "It took you a minute to answer."

"Yes," he told her firmly. "I'm sure. I'm capable of behaving as a gentleman. Especially with Levi."

"All right then. I've already filled out most of the paperwork. I just needed to confirm it with you before I get the ball rolling. You, Levi and his therapy specialist will all have to sign a few things. I'll call you when it's ready."

"Wait," Erwin stalled, just thinking of something. "What if Levi doesn't want to do this?"

"I've already talked to him about it at length," explained the doctor. "He wants to. His exact words were: _'It's up to Erwin'_. That's about as close to _'hell yes'_ as we're going to get out of him, I think."

Erwin smiled with relief. "Yes, I agree. Thank you, Hange."

"You might not be thanking me after a few weeks of this," she warned, "but let's hope it all goes as we hope. Take care, Erwin. You should come and visit Levi soon. Maybe talk about how you want this arrangement to go and set up some ground rules between the two of you."

"Hmm, not a bad idea," he conceded. "I haven't had a roommate since college. It's going to take some adjustment for both of us, I think."

Erwin didn't mind that. He wasn't used to living with another adult, but he suspected Levi would be a good living partner to have. He was clean, he was quiet when his temper didn't flare up, and there was no reason to believe he wouldn't want to watch Dylan when Erwin was at work. It would mostly eliminate the need for daycare and paid babysitting, which in turn would allow Erwin to put away a bit more money for Dylan's future.

Levi was going to be living with him. That thought made Erwin feel giddy and nervous at the same time.

* * *

-To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the continued support, kudos and reviews! Oops, I forgot to add some sexual tags to this story. I fixed it, but be forewarned there's a lemon scene incomming, in case you weren't expecting it due to the lack of specific tags. Sorry about that.

Levi was a bit under the weather when Erwin picked him up from the clinic. They'd dosed him with Methadone again, as well as some mild tranquilizers. He hadn't wanted them to, but his anxiety spiked while he was waiting for Erwin and it triggered withdrawal symptoms severe enough to require medication. Even in his doped up state, he was embarrassed when his handsome blond escort arrived to take him out of the clinic.

"It's okay, Levi," ensured Erwin as they walked through the double doors in the lobby together. "You can lean on me."

Levi was already subconsciously doing so. He didn't trust his own feet. "Where's Dylan?"

"I dropped him off with Mikasa," explained the alpha. "I'll go and pick him up after we get you settled in. I figured it would be best if you got your things sorted before the boy was around."

Levi nodded. He silently appreciated the support of Erwin's arm around him. The taller man's body was warm and solid against his, and it made Levi feel ridiculously safe. Erwin opened the passenger side door for him when they made it to his car, and Levi slid in a bit clumsily. He grunted as he adjusted himself to a more comfortable position, and then he tried to get his seatbelt fastened.

"Shit."

Erwin got into the driver's seat, and he glanced sidelong at him. He didn't say anything about Levi's failed attempts to secure the buckle. Instead, he wordlessly leaned over and helped him without calling undue attention to his lack of coordination. Levi sighed, resting his head against the seat once he was buckled in. He had a pair of shades on to protect his eyes from the sunlight, but half of the reason behind his wearing them was to conceal the size of his pupils from his companion.

"You sure you want to take me in?" Levi asked in a dry tone. "I can't even buckle a seat belt on my own."

Erwin cranked the car up, and he smiled at the omega. "I know you won't always be in this condition. Don't be too hard on yourself."

Levi shut his eyes, and he tried to take Erwin's advice. He'd seen other patients in worse shape than himself. In fact, he was the only heroin addict at the clinic that didn't require almost daily Methadone treatments to cope. Doctor Foster had already paid him compliments on that account. The motion of the car made him feel a little sick to his stomach, and he started swallowing in an attempt to settle his nausea.

"Do you need me to stop and get you something to drink?" offered Erwin, obviously noticing the struggle.

Levi cracked his eyes open, and he turned his head to regard the other man. "Maybe some ginger ale would help. These meds give me motion sickness sometimes."

Erwin nodded in understanding. He pulled up to a gas station and bade Levi to stay in the car and rest while he went in to purchase a beverage. Levi watched him go, covertly admiring the way Erwin's tan slacks hugged his ass. Two years ago, Levi would have been tempted to pinch those nice, muscular butt cheeks. He'd never been particularly shy about expressing sexual attraction to someone in those days, but now...now he could hardly look an alpha male in the eye without feeling panic welling up inside of him. Levi no longer knew how to flirt. It felt too dangerous.

Erwin returned to the car after a short period, carrying two bottles of ginger ale with him. He gave one to Levi and he opened the other for himself. Levi thanked him softly, and he unscrewed the cap to have a sip. The ginger ale helped. He drank it slowly as they got back onto the road, taking small swallows when his stomach started churning.

Eventually they arrived at Erwin's apartment building, and the blond got Levi's luggage out of the trunk. He insisted on carrying it for him despite Levi's protests. The omega faced another challenge when they got into the elevator. As bad as the car ride had been, the lift was much worse. By the time they reached the fifth floor and got out, Levi had his hand clamped over his mouth and was fighting the heaves.

Erwin wasted no time in getting his apartment door unlocked and opening it. Levi already knew where the bathroom was, so he made a beeline for it without explanation. It was humiliating to get sick within moments of arriving at Erwin's place, but there was no help for it. Levi dove for the toilet and purged as quietly as he could while his host put his things in Dylan's bedroom. After getting sick, Levi rinsed his mouth out and gargled with a little bit of mouthwash he found in the medicine cabinet. He located the scouring powder and scrubbed the toilet for good measure before exiting the bathroom.

"Are you all right?" Erwin was standing in the hallway, watching him with concerned blue eyes.

Levi nodded. "Yeah. I just needed to get it out." He sipped the bottle of ginger ale that Erwin had bought for him, grimacing a bit.

"Maybe you should lie down," suggested Erwin. He guided Levi to Dylan's room, and he gestured at the bed. "I changed the bedding this morning before I came to get you. Make yourself comfortable, Levi."

Grateful that Erwin had taken such pains for him, Levi took the alpha's advice. He sat down on the bed and removed his boots first, before lying down on his side. He gazed up at Erwin, and his face heated when the blond bent over him to cover him up with the sheets. Erwin's face was so close...his lips just a few inches away from Levi's.

"How does that feel?" murmured Erwin, taking a seat on the side of the bed. "I haven't tested the mattress myself yet, but it's a posturepedic."

"Feels good," confirmed Levi. He couldn't take his eyes off of Erwin. He wondered if the man had any clue of how gorgeous he was, with the afternoon sunlight slanting over his cheekbones and highlighting his golden hair. Levi's impulse control was compromised by the medication, and he blurted his thoughts aloud. "Damn, do you even know how pretty you are?"

Erwin's surprised sapphire gaze met Levi's, and the omega could have sworn he blushed. "Do you really think so?"

Levi averted his gaze, suddenly awkward. "Don't be coy. You know you're a hunk."

Erwin chuckled, and he stroked Levi's hair gently. "It may come as a surprise to you that I don't pay much attention to my looks. Yours, on the other hand, I could admire all day long."

Levi dared to take his sunglasses off, and he set them aside on the little bedside table to his right. He looked up at Erwin in an almost challenging manner. "I don't see what's so special about a pasty complexion and bruised eyes."

"You aren't as pale as you think," countered Erwin, "and the dark circles will fade with rest. It's my hope that you'll sleep better here than you did at the clinic."

Levi was already fighting back a yawn. He hadn't realized he was this tired until now, and the mattress he rested on was insanely comfortable in comparison to the one he was used to. "I guess I'm about to find out. Can't keep my eyes open much longer."

"Then don't try," suggested Erwin. He got up, and he started for the door. "Have a nap, Levi. When you wake up, Dylan will be home and you can spend time with him. I'll order us a pizza for dinner tonight."

"No anchovies on mine," yawned the omega. "No pineapple, either."

"Got it. I'll order a supreme and make sure they exclude those toppings."

Levi almost smiled. He hadn't indulged in pizza for over a year.

* * *

It wasn't as rocky as Erwin feared it might be in the beginning. Levi adjusted well to his new living situation, and he kept the apartment so clean that Erwin terminated his cleaning service. He taught Levi how to cook a few basic meals, and he was pleasantly surprised on the first day he came home from work to find a hot meal waiting for him. Granted it was just boxed macaroni and cheese with scalloped potatoes on the side, but it was warm and filling.

They fell into a domestic routine together. Levi would take care of the home and the baby while Erwin was at work, and at night they would watch a movie or television together. Erwin took Levi and Dylan out to eat on the weekends, giving the omega a chance to get out of the house. Erwin also made sure to take Levi to the clinic for group therapy sessions, taking special care to be punctual.

Sometimes he just dropped Levi off for an hour and picked him up afterwards, but Erwin also attended the meetings once in a while out of curiosity and to support his companion. He was surprised on one such occasion to be asked for his input as a person directly involved in Levi's life. That had been a slightly awkward moment, and it took Erwin a minute to come up with something to say that wouldn't invade Levi's privacy or cast him in a negative light. He admitted to the group that it wasn't always easy; particularly when Levi had withdrawals and got moody. However, Erwin quickly followed that up with praise for all the progress Levi had made and how clean he kept the apartment.

Everything seemed to be going along fine, until Levi's medication interfered with his suppressants about a month after he moved in. That was the moment when Erwin was truly put to the test, but he wasn't the one to fail it.

* * *

"Levi, I'm home." Erwin closed the door behind himself and removed his long coat. It was dusted with snowflakes, and he shook it out before hanging it on the standing rack by the door. He frowned when he didn't detect the aroma of cooking food. Nearly every evening of the work week, Levi had fallen into the habit of making dinner and having it ready for Erwin by the time he walked through the door. The only times Levi hadn't prepared dinner for him since learning some recipes were when he was having a bad day.

Concerned by the lack of response to his greeting, Erwin went into the kitchen first to check for Levi. Finding no sign of him or Dylan, the alpha took the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He smelled the omega scent immediately, almost as soon as he stepped into the hall. It was very strong, and it made his body react spontaneously. Erwin's temperature rose and his crotch swelled in his uniform pants. His instinctual reaction to Levi's pheromone trail was the urge to breed.

"Damn," whispered Erwin under his breath. So that was why Levi hadn't cooked or greeted him. He was in heat. Erwin hesitated as he approached the bedroom door. It was open a crack, and he could hear Levi's ragged breathing from the other side of it. Erwin had told Hange that he could control himself, but truthfully it had been a while since he'd smelled an omega in heat. This wasn't just any omega, either. It was Levi...the man that Erwin fantasized about each and every night. Levi, whom Erwin had come to love with all his heart, knowing full well that he might never get the chance to act on his feelings for him.

"Levi?" Erwin called softly, pushing the door open. He found his housemate lying curled up on the bed with Dylan. Levi's face was flushed, and he was clutching at the pillow with one fisted hand. The other hand was resting on the baby's side. Even in his condition, Levi was trying to take care of his son.

Erwin walked over to the bed, wearing an expression of quiet sympathy on his face. Levi opened his eyes to gaze up at him, and they seemed too intense and bright. He parted his lips to speak, and his voice almost sounded apologetic.

"It hit me this morning," Levi panted. "Tried a cold shower, but that didn't help for long."

Erwin squatted down until he was eye level with the omega. "Why didn't you call me? I'd have come right home."

Levi shook his head. "Didn't see the point. I took one of the emergency suppressants you left out for me just in case. It did some good...at least enough to help me think straight and watch over the brat. There was nothing you could have done to help me, so I decided not to interrupt your work day."

Erwin sighed, and he made a point to breath through his mouth and not his nose. The scent permeating the air was more than a little distracting. He wanted to reach out and touch Levi, but he feared if he gave into that impulse, it wouldn't stop there. Levi had changed into a muscle shirt and a pair of boxers, probably in an attempt to keep cool without going fully nude. Erwin could see the outline of the omega's erection poking out, and Levi had a towel beneath him. A quick look confirmed that the back of his boxers were damp with slick.

"Can I get you anything?" asked the alpha helplessly. There was definitely _one_ way he could ease Levi's symptoms for him, but attempting to do so would probably lead to disaster.

"No," came the strained answer. "In fact, don't take it personal but you shouldn't be in the same room as me. It makes it worse." Levi bit his bottom lip, and his brows pinched as if he was in pain.

"Of course," soothed Erwin. His alpha scent was likely feeding Levi's mating hormones. "I'll take Dylan and make dinner. What are you in the mood for? I could thaw a couple of steaks or chicken breasts."

"Food is the last thing on my mind," gasped Levi. He had a faintly predatory look in his eyes as he looked at Erwin. That stare told the alpha that if he tried to kiss Levi now, he wasn't likely to resist. No matter how fearful of sex Levi might be, his omega urges were stronger than his reluctance.

The temptation to test that theory was so strong that Erwin had to clench his jaw and silently count backwards from five. He carefully reached out for Dylan, avoiding brushing hands with Levi because even that little bit of contact might undo him. The child roused at his dad's touch, and he yawned sleepily as Erwin gathered him up.

"Come on, Dylan," said Erwin as evenly as possible. "Let's get dinner ready and let your papa rest."

Dylan glanced back at Levi while Erwin got to his feet and carried him out of the bedroom. The child looked worried, so Erwin tried to reassure him. "Papa will feel better in a day or two. He's just a little sick right now, but it will pass."

That reminded Erwin that someday, he was going to have to have "the talk" with Dylan. They wouldn't know what type the boy was until he reached puberty, but it probably was for the best that he get the facts of life explained to him before that day came. Erwin remembered the day when he was in school and one of his classmates got her first period and thought she was dying. Her parents evidently never explained basic female biology to her, and thus she was completely ignorant of what was happening.

Erwin wouldn't make the same mistake with his son. He just had no idea how he was going to approach the subject when he thought Dylan was ready for it. Thank goodness he had years to go before that discussion needed to take place.

* * *

Levi changed his underwear in a futile attempt to stay dry. He even folded up a bunch of toilet paper and stuck it down his pants. He could have asked Erwin to pick him up some sanitary napkins, but it was such an embarrassing request that he couldn't bring himself to mention it. After all, pads were typically designed for women. Levi had discovered they worked just as well to absorb slick, and he wondered if he was the only omega to try the idea.

"Fuck," he complained as another wave of lust swelled within him. He'd already beaten off twice, but he kept catching whiffs of Erwin's alpha scent even with the door closed. Erwin had to pass by the room each time he went to the bathroom or took Dylan in there to potty train him. There was no way around that, and Levi couldn't expect the man to go to a gas station every time he needed a piss or a shit.

Levi tried to ride it out. He tried to distract himself with a book, but then of all the luck, he came to a sex scene in the story and had to put it aside. Erwin brought him a bowl of chicken and dumplings after seven o'clock, along with a cup of chamomile tea and another emergency suppressant pill. It was too bad they didn't have it in injection form, but Hange thought it was better for Levi to avoid needles; especially with a toddler in the house.

Levi sat up and piled the pillows behind his back while Erwin set the dinner tray in his lap for him. He wasn't hungry, but Levi knew he needed to eat anyway. His body was burning calories faster than normal with his elevated temperature, and he would weaken if he didn't properly nourish himself.

"Thanks," he said to his companion. The aroma of the food somewhat covered Erwin's alpha scent.

"You're welcome. I'm sure you must be hungry by now."

Levi shook his head. "No, but I'll eat anyway. I'm already so weak I could barely walk across the room to get my book. I'm sure I smell lovely by now, covered in slick, sweat and spunk."

"You smell fine," assured Erwin. The blue of his eyes intensified as he looked the omega over. "Better than fine, actually. If they could bottle that smell...never mind. Forget I said that."

Levi almost smirked. "This must be hard on you too. I've always wondered what I smell like to alphas when this happens."

"Like the most intoxicating cologne ever made," admitted Erwin. "It's difficult to describe. It's earthy yet sweet smelling at the same time. It makes me tingle to smell it."

Erwin checked his watch. "And on that note, I should leave. I think it's best that I don't linger for more than five minutes around you until your heat runs its course. Is there anything else I can do for you, Levi?"

The omega swallowed a spoonful of his dinner, and he hesitated. There were actually a couple of things that Erwin could do for him, but both were humiliating to ask for.

"Anything you need," encouraged the alpha. "Don't be afraid to ask it of me."

Levi sighed. His dignity had already suffered today, and in the interest of being more comfortable, he might as well bite the bullet. "This is embarrassing as hell to ask, but I'd appreciate it if you could go to the drug store and pick me up some...uh...pads."

"Pads?" Erwin frowned in confusion.

"Damn it, you're gonna make me say it, aren't you? Maxi pads, idiot. Or some of those incontinence pads they make for people with bladder problems. Either one would do the job."

"Oh. I see." Erwin glanced down at the towel Levi was sitting on. "Of course I can do that for you. I'll go and pick some up while you're eating. Do you think you can watch Dylan while I'm gone, or should I take him with me?"

"Bring him in here," said Levi. "I can handle taking care of him for a little while."

"All right. Is there anything else you'd like me to pick up?"

"No, but there's one more thing you can do for me before bed tonight." Levi compressed his lips, reluctant to say it. He had no choice though, unless he wanted to crawl to the bathroom and risk passing out on the way.

"Look," he said after a moment of uncertainty, "I'm feeling pretty filthy. Feels like I've got a film all over me from sweat and body fluids, but I'm too weak to make it to the bathroom by myself. Do you think you could run a bath for me and help me get into it?"

He said the final part in a rush, and Levi knew the heat in his face wasn't just from his condition. Erwin's thick brows went up in an expression of surprise, and Levi could only imagine what he must be thinking.

"Hey, I wouldn't ask if I thought I could make it three steps without collapsing," excused Levi. "You're the only one I'd trust with a request like this, but if you don't think you can handle it—"

"I'll help you," stated Erwin before Levi could finish his sentence. "Do you...need me to bathe you or just help you into the tub?"

Levi winced. A part of him seriously wanted those big hands lathering up his body, but he wasn't foolish enough to push his luck. Erwin was a flesh and blood man with needs, after all. As stoic as he was being in a situation that had to be testing his limits, he wasn't made of stone.

"Just help me into the bath and try to look the other way. If you can just wait outside while I'm bathing to make sure I don't pass out and drown, I'd appreciate it."

Erwin nodded. "Is it typical for you to lose consciousness when you're in heat?"

"If only," muttered Levi. How many times had he gone into heat while being held captive and wished he could just black out and be oblivious to what his kidnapper was doing to him? "It only happens if I don't...get natural relief. I guess it's a sick joke nature created to make sure omegas are helpless against getting cornered and fucked when we're in heat. You can't fight off an attacker if you're passed out and weak as a kitten."

Erwin lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about." Levi couldn't stop staring at him. He could see Erwin's pulse in his neck, and he wanted to lick the spot. Why did the man have to be so fucking gorgeous and smell so fucking good? "Just help me get clean, if you think you can do it without letting your hands wander."

"I'll do my very best," vowed the alpha.

That was all Levi could expect of him, and even if Erwin's hands slipped a little while he was helping him, Levi decided he'd earned a little touch for taking such care of him. Maybe he was subconsciously trying to set him up to do just that, because it was the closest Levi could come to asking Erwin to touch him.

* * *

This was a bad idea. Erwin knew it as soon as he scooped Levi off of the bed and carried him bridal style out of the room. They'd put Dylan down for the night and the child was already sleeping soundly in his crib. Levi had already changed into a bath robe and set out a clean pair of boxers and a singlet to change into after his bath. As Erwin carried the omega down the hallway to the bathroom, he marveled over how much heavier Levi was than he looked. Not that he was really heavy, but he weighed more than his slight frame suggested.

Erwin discovered why as soon as they made it into the bathroom and he set Levi gently on his feet. The omega turned his back to Erwin and disrobed without warning, hastily sliding the robe off as if he was worried he'd lose his nerve if he didn't do it fast. Taken off guard by the abrupt stripping, Erwin didn't look away in time. He got a full, uninterrupted view of Levi's body, and he couldn't take his eyes off him or even blink.

Levi Ackerman was built like a brick shit house. Erwin already knew he had toned arms, but it just now dawned on him that his physique was that of an athlete all over. This was the first time he'd ever seen this much of Levi, and Erwin felt like he'd just unwrapped a priceless birthday present. Levi's back and shoulders rippled with muscles. His thighs were strong and lean, and he had about the most perfect, tight little ass Erwin had ever laid eyes on.

No wonder Levi weighed more than expected. He was all svelte muscle and sinew, with hardly an ounce of body fat on him.

"You looking away?" Levi turned his head slightly, not looking back at him.

Erwin snapped his eyes shut, but the image of all that creamy, toned flesh remained burned into his mind. "I've got my eyes closed, yes."

"Okay. Stay there for a minute until I'm in the tub, just in case I slip."

Erwin swallowed and nodded. He listened to the sound of water splashing as Levi got into the bathtub, and he wondered if the front of the omega was as beautiful as the back of him.

"Okay, I'm in."

Impulsively, Erwin opened his eyes. He didn't mean to look directly at Levi, but that was what happened and he wasn't a bit sorry for it. Levi was submerged to the waist in the bathtub, and Erwin got treated to the sight of his chest, stomach and the front of his legs. He _was_ as beautiful in frontal view as he'd been from behind. His pecs and abs were hard and defined, and a glance down revealed that Levi was in a fully aroused state. He was better endowed than Erwin expected of an omega of his stature, and damned if his cock wasn't as pretty as the rest of him. Erwin thought he detected a couple of faded stretch marks on Levi's lower abdomen, and even those were attractive to him.

"Oi, you're not supposed to look," reminded the omega sharply when he looked up and saw Erwin staring at him.

"I'm not. Er, that is, I didn't mean to." Blushing, Erwin hastily turned around. He mouthed the word: _"Wow"_ to himself once Levi couldn't see his face. His dreams tonight were going to be nothing short of pornographic.

"Guess I shouldn't get mad," Levi told him. "It's not like we rehearsed this or anything. Ah, could you wait outside the door?"

"Yes." Erwin walked to the door and he opened it mechanically, feeling like he'd been hit over the head. The scent Levi was giving off threatened to make him lose all semblance of control. Being on the other side of the door was an excellent policy.

Of course, once he was outside the bathroom, Erwin couldn't resist peeking in covertly. He left the door cracked slightly so that he could hear if Levi had any problems and needed help. He felt like a peeping tom, but there was nothing so grand as to watch Levi Ackerman lather up his body and squeeze water over it from the sponge. His head turned toward the door as he washed his chest, and Erwin quickly stepped to the side so that Levi wouldn't see him.

His crotch was swollen and throbbing by the time Levi finished bathing and called out to him for help getting out of the tub. Erwin glanced down at his package with a grimace. There was no way in hell he was going to be able to hide that from his companion.

"Oi, you still there, blondie?" Levi called. "I'm pruning up in here, and I don't think I can get up without your help."

"I'm still here," answered the blond. "Ah, Levi...I should tell you now that I have a condition."

"What, like a heart problem?"

Erwin chuckled. Yes, it was a heart problem, but not in the way Levi suggested. "Not exactly. I just don't want you to be shocked or upset when you see me."

Levi was silent for a moment, and then he spoke in a slightly exasperated tone. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Just help me out of this tub so I can try to get some sleep, would you?"

"All right," sighed Erwin. He pushed the door open and closed his eyes before stepping into the bathroom. He heard Levi's indrawn breath—a typical reaction from people when they saw him aroused. "I can't help it."

"Uh...so I see." Levi's voice was soft and a bit mystified. "That's a condition, all right. You could drive in the car pool lane by yourself with a root that big."

Erwin's blush returned, even as Levi's observation swelled his ego a little. He wasn't sure Levi meant his candid observation as a compliment, though. Maybe he was implying that Erwin was some kind of a freak.

"Um, okay," Levi went on. "I don't want you tripping and ending up unconscious on the floor, so I'm going to turn around so you can open your eyes and see where you're going. Let's just get this over with and try to be professional about it."

"Professional?" repeated Erwin with a nervous chuckle. "What kind of profession would involve this scenario?"

"I dunno, a nurse or something. My point is that you're doing this to help me, not get it on."

"Right. Let me know when I can open my eyes." There was no way Erwin could look at Levi in a detached manner, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to be a gentleman.

"Okay," came the response after a moment. "I'm turned around. Just help me get to the toilet so I can sit down on it and dry off. I'll try to be fast."

Erwin nodded, and he opened his eyes. Having Levi's back turned did nothing to ease his libido, but at least the alpha couldn't see the parts that caught his interest the most. Erwin walked over to the bathtub, squatted down and then hesitated. He didn't know how to proceed from here.

"What's the hold up?" demanded Levi in a breathy voice. He was starting to pant, suggesting his condition was spiking again.

"I...I'm just trying to figure out how to pick you up without touching you inappropriately," confided Erwin. "Should I carry you the way I did before, or do you just want me to put an arm around you and support your steps?"

"I don't think I could even take two steps right now," admitted Levi. "Better just pick me up. I won't hold it against you if your hands slip a little, as long as it's not on purpose."

"All right." Erwin reached out for him. "You need to turn around, though. I'll close my eyes."

"You can't carry me with your eyes closed. We could both end up on the floor that way."

"Ah, good point. All right, I'll just try not to look directly at you."

Levi made a curious sound, and it took a minute for Erwin to realize he was laughing. He'd never heard Levi laugh before; not really. He'd heard him make a brief sound of amusement that came out as a little "heh" sound, but now it was a soft, steady stream of that noise.

"Heh...heh. Look at us," Levi said. "Here I am naked and wet, and you're trying your damndest to be a saint. Ah, this is bullshit, isn't it? We're both grown men and I'm not going to burst into flames if you look at me."

Erwin smiled. "It _is_ a little ridiculous, isn't it? I just want you to feel safe with me."

Levi's amusement faded, and when he spoke again, there was something almost gentle in his voice. "I know you do, big guy. I do feel safe with you, or we wouldn't be doing this. You can look at me."

Erwin hesitantly opened his eyes to find Levi watching him. The omega's expression had softened, and there was a gleam of quiet affection in his pale eyes. Levi reached out for Erwin and put his arms around the blond's neck. It was the most significant gesture of trust he'd made yet.

Erwin handled him almost reverently. He couldn't describe what this demonstration of trust meant to him, and he lifted the smaller man out of the tub with care. Levi felt so good in his arms. His body fit against Erwin's as if made for it, and the alpha suffered a moment of strong emotion that made his throat ache. What would it be like to carry Levi like this each night, to hold him and kiss him and run his hands all over that sleek little body? Would he ever know that joy, or was he doomed to pine for something he couldn't have for the rest of his life?

Erwin brought Levi to the toilet, made sure the lid was closed and then eased him down on it. They were both trembling. Maybe Levi was doing it because he was cold, but Erwin was struggling to fight his natural urges. He quickly turned away from Levi and he retrieved the towel from the warming rack. Averting his eyes, he gave it and Levi's bath robe to him, and then he stepped outside to wait while the omega dried off and covered up.

"Okay, you can come back in," announced Levi after a few minutes.

Erwin joined him, relieved that Levi's nudity was covered again. He hung the towel back up when the smaller man gave it to him, and then he picked him up to carry him back to bed. Erwin felt like he'd just fought a war. It was mentally and physically exhausting for him to fight his alpha urges like this. Levi had to feel his arousal pressing against his hip as he carried him, but to his credit, he didn't accuse Erwin of being a pervert or otherwise comment on it.

Once he got Levi in bed, Erwin started to leave so that he could change into the clothes he'd set out to wear to bed. Levi grabbed the alpha's wrist to stall him when Erwin started to straighten back up and turn away. Erwin looked down at him questioningly, wondering if Levi wanted him to get something else for him. The look in the omega's eyes confused Erwin. It was calculating, while uncertain at the same time.

"What is it, love?" asked the blond gently.

Levi didn't answer him verbally. Instead he pulled himself into a sitting position using Erwin's arm as support, and then Levi reached out with his other hand to cup the back of the alpha's head. The distance between their faces diminished and Erwin's heart skipped a beat. He could hardly believe it when Levi's mouth met his in a soft kiss, and he was afraid to move. One slip and the enchantment of the moment would be shattered. It was like watching a deer and trying not to spook it with any noise or movement.

Another kiss followed the first, slightly bolder. Erwin parted his lips, awed by the experience. Levi's tongue traced the part, and Erwin reciprocated impulsively. Something seemed to click for both of them then...or rather break free. That sweet little kiss evolved into something desperate and primal. Open mouths, thrusting tongues, quickened breath. Whatever Levi's original intention behind the kiss—and Erwin suspected it was meant to be a reward—had now become much more serious.

There was no room to think. No room for hesitation or doubt. When Levi grabbed Erwin's shirt in fisted hands and started pulling him down on top of him, Erwin was lost. He'd promised Hange that this wouldn't happen, that he would never take advantage of it if Levi went into heat while living with him. Putting that promise into practice was rapidly proving to be more than Erwin was capable of. He started to pin the omega down, but Levi shook his head and urged the blond onto his back, instead. The next thing Erwin knew, he was being straddled.

"Levi?" he rasped when the omega straightened up to stare down at him, breathing hard and fast.

"We both need this," informed Levi in a winded voice, "but I've got to be the one in control. Put your wrists together."

Erwin automatically did as he said, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. Were they actually going to have sex? The way Levi was rubbing against him right now, undulating sensually on top of him, it certainly seemed like it. Levi untied his robe, and he pulled the belt free from its loops. He hastily wound it around Erwin's wrists, binding them together. Now Erwin understood. This might be the only way he could be intimate with Levi for now, and while he desperately wanted to touch that body and lay claim to it, Erwin wasn't about to let his dominant instincts ruin this chance for him.

He put his arms over his head when Levi finished binding his wrists, silently submitting to the omega's will. He could feel Levi trembling, and he watched with baited breath as the smaller man parted his robe to reveal his body. Erwin devoured him with his eyes, his cock twitching eagerly in the confines of his pants. Levi didn't offer any further explanations. His intention was clear in his gaze as he tugged Erwin's fly down and started working his pants open. Erwin could feel the dampness from Levi's slick on his thighs, and he groaned with need.

"Damn you're big," commented Levi when he finished getting Erwin's pants undone. He was staring at the substantial girth of the alpha's arousal, and he gripped and stroked it wonderingly before meeting Erwin's eyes again. Levi's thumb pressed against the thicker flesh at the base of Erwin's cock, which would swell up and knot them together when the alpha came.

"It's been a long time," said Levi.

Erwin held still as best he could, allowing his companion to set the pace. Levi's touch was like paradise to him. It was hard to fight his urges, especially with the omega handling him and looking at him that way. "I would love to make it easier on you."

"Wish I could let you," answered Levi. "I don't trust myself yet, though. What did you have in mind?"

Erwin hesitated, wondering if it would be a mistake to give a graphic description. "Do you really want to know?"

Levi nodded, and he bit his lower lip. His brows furrowed and he gasped softly. "Y-yeah. I want you to tell me what you'd do to me if I let you."

Erwin nearly gave into the temptation to touch him. The tight binding around his wrists reminded him that he wasn't supposed to, though. "I would caress your nipples. I'd lick them and suck on them, and then I'd stroke you off...but not enough to make you come. I would delay gratification, and when you're dazed with pleasure and opening up for me, I'd finger you. Just enough to get you loose and restless."

"Nnhh...those big fingers inside of me..." Levi started panting, obviously excited by the thought.

A bit surprised that his words were having such an effect on Levi, Erwin went on. "I'd like to spread you wide and kiss you down there. I would tongue your little hole until you scream my name, and then, when we're both about to buckle under the passion, I would enter you ever so slowly."

"Hah...oh God..." Levi tossed his head back and he gripped himself with his free hand, while still fondling Erwin with the other. He only managed to stroke twice before he came.

Erwin gazed up at him with amazement, finding Levi's orgasm face so sensual that he damned near came himself. He listened to Levi's gasps and moans, and he had to squeeze the pillow under his head to stop himself from reaching for the man. "You are amazing," he husked.

Levi recovered from his orgasm, cracking his eyes open to look at the blond. He stopped fondling Erwin to unbutton the alpha's shirt. His hands were shaking, and it was obvious that his orgasm wasn't enough to ease his needs. Levi ended up ripping the shirt the rest of the way open, quickly losing patience. He stroked his hands over Erwin's broad chest once he had it exposed, and he pinched the blond's nipples. Erwin hissed, tilting his head back with pleasure.

"This is torture," confessed Erwin breathlessly.

"Easy, big stuff," purred the omega. "I'm not going to make you wait much longer. Damn, your heart is beating fast."

Erwin was quite aware of that. His adrenaline was racing, and he started flexing his hips. Levi toyed with his nipples for a little longer, and then he pulled his robe further open. There was something very sexy about Levi keeping that robe on. He was exposed just enough to entice, but not enough to fully reveal his body. Levi reached back behind his body, and he groaned as he began to finger himself.

"Levi," groaned Erwin. "You're driving me crazy." He couldn't tear his gaze off the blush in Levi's cheeks and the lusty expression on his face.

"Right there with you," gasped Levi. "Shit, it isn't enough. I'm so fucking wet...need your dick."

"You have it at your disposal," panted Erwin. He didn't want Levi to rush it and hurt himself, but patience was getting harder by the moment to come by.

Levi hesitated. For a moment, Erwin feared he would lose his nerve. He went still and didn't dare move, giving Levi the chance to back out even though he was desperate to have him.

"If we do this," whispered Levi, pausing in his self-preparation, "it's not without risks."

"You've had your tubes tied though. There's almost no chance I can get you pregnant."

Levi nodded. "That isn't what I meant. If my heat triggers a rut in you..." Levi trailed off, glancing off to the side.

Erwin thought he understood. When alphas and omegas had sex during fertility cycles, there was a chance of a pair-bond occurring. Levi had already been forced into one by his kidnapper, which took even more control away from him than he'd already lost at that man's hands.

"We can avoid scent marking each other," suggested Erwin. "Without that ritual, the pair bond can't happen even if we're both in a fertility cycle."

Levi nodded. "Sucks, but you're right. Scent marking is one of the hottest parts about being with an alpha, though."

Erwin had to agree, although it had been so long since he'd last experienced the act with an omega, he could barely recall the ecstasy that came from it. "It's a compromise we'll just have to make, for now."

He didn't add that perhaps one day, Levi would be ready to bond with him and be his mate for life. Erwin couldn't expect the man to be willing to give himself to him that way. It would take time for Levi to recover from the nightmare he'd lived, and that he was willing to have sex with him at all was a miracle in itself.

Levi lifted up a bit, gripped Erwin's length and got into position on top of him. He watched the blond as he lowered himself onto his cock, and his breath caught when the tip breached him. He was so tight around Erwin. He wasn't sure Levi would be able to take his girth, in fact. It was a struggle for the blond to hold still and avoid thrusting. Levi moaned low in his throat, letting his weight take him down further. The resistance gave, and Erwin's flesh was slowly encased in Levi's body.

"Oh...ahh..." Levi panted softly, taking Erwin deeper until he was fully seated inside of him. He stopped to catch his breath, and he started teasing his own nipples.

Erwin watched in fascination as Levi's fingers circled the little pink buds, stimulating them to hardness. He wished he was the one doing that to Levi, but perhaps he could at least direct him.

"Touch your cock, love," suggested Erwin huskily. "Let me see you stroke yourself."

Levi shuddered, and he obediently reached down between his pale thighs to fist his hand around his flushed length. It was dribbling copious amounts of precum, already fully hard again. It would take a few times for him to be sated.

Levi began to move. He did so gingerly to begin with, taking it slow despite his desperation for relief. He moaned softly, his ass quivering and clenching around Erwin's cock. His hand moved faster between his thighs, and drops of viscous fluid rolled down his cock and over his knuckles to drip onto Erwin's stomach. The alpha started to cant his hips gently, matching Levi's measured thrusts. Erwin tried angling his pelvis a bit, and when Levi cried out and widened his eyes, he knew he'd hit the sweet spot.

"Ah, shit!" Levi whimpered. "Almost...forgot what that feels like."

Erwin kept it up, quickening his pace a little bit. "You should...see yourself," he panted. "So sexy."

"Erwin," gasped Levi, bowing his head. His dark bangs fell forward over his eyes, and his hand moved faster over his stiff length. "Gonna come already. Nnnhh...hah...fuck!"

"Come for me," encouraged Erwin breathlessly. He could see it happening before his eyes. Levi's expression tightened, his motions became jerky and he slammed himself down on Erwin's cock with desperation.

Now it was Erwin's turn to blurt out expletives. His eyes nearly crossed as Levi's ass started rhythmically squeezing him. He didn't have a chance in hell of holding back. Erwin was coming right along with the omega, and he sat up and dropped his bound arms over Levi's head and shoulders. He held his companion tightly, grunting into his ear as he filled Levi. He came so much that he ran out of room inside the omega and some of his spunk dribbled out around his penetrating length. His knot swelled, plugging Levi up and locking them together.

"Oh fuck," cried Levi, evidently forgiving Erwin for embracing him despite the no touching condition he'd laid out. His legs wrapped around the blond's torso and his fingers tangled into Erwin's hair. Levi crushed his mouth against the bigger man's, his tongue fencing with Erwin's. His groans of pleasure were distorted by the kiss, and Levi spurted against Erwin's stomach again in reaction to being knotted with him.

They stayed like that until his knot shrank again, and Levi started to move again. Erwin stroked his hair with his bound hands, taking a chance that Levi would accept that much touching, at least. The omega didn't protest. He broke the kiss to gaze into Erwin's eyes, his breath huffing with pleasure.

"So good," gasped Levi. "Y-you're at just the right spot, handsome. Fuck, your dick feels good."

Erwin's breath was shivering with tension. He rubbed his cheek against Levi's, wishing he could scent mark him but mindful of his promise not to. "I love you."

Levi's fingers combed through Erwin's hair. "I love you too. Just hope I can deserve you someday."

"You already deserve me," insisted Erwin.

He kissed Levi deeply, hardening completely again inside of him. It would be a long time before their lovemaking ended, whether he went into rut or not.

* * *

They would have gone on all night long if it weren't for Dylan waking up and reminding them that he was in the room with them. Levi was faintly horrified that he'd been fucking right in front of the baby, and it was a good thing he and Erwin weren't knotted when Dylan started fussing. Levi hastily climbed off his companion and pulled his robe closed. He winced as he tried to get out of the bed, and his legs started collapsing.

"I'll see to him," offered Erwin. "But you need to untie me."

"God, what was I thinking?" Levi muttered. "Right in front of the kid, too. We'll be paying for his therapy for years."

"Levi, he's too young to understand what he was looking at if he did happen to see anything," reasoned Erwin with a gentle smile. "Couples have sex with their babies in the room all the time."

"Still doesn't feel right." Levi freed Erwin's wrists from his bath robe belt, and he tugged the blond's shirt closed while Erwin tucked himself back into his pants. "Kids don't start retaining memories until they're about two years old, right? Maybe he won't be traumatized by this after all."

"Well, he remembered you," Erwin pointed out, and then he revised his statement. "But don't worry about it. By the time he's old enough to understand what he saw, he probably won't remember it clearly enough to be troubled."

"Let's hope you're right." Levi sat down on a wet spot, and he made a face. They'd made a mess on the bed despite the towel he'd put down on it. He watched as Erwin picked Dylan up, and by the way the blond's nose wrinkled, the reason behind the baby's fussing was a soiled diaper.

"I'll just change him and get him settled down," explained Erwin. He cradled the child in his arms, and he cast a regretful look at Levi. "I don't suppose you're willing to finish what we started after I've seen to him?"

Levi nearly said no, but he was still very much in heat. After mastering his anxiety enough to finally act on his desire for Erwin, he didn't think he could just ride the cycle out and go unsatisfied. He now knew that he was capable of having a sex life, even if he had to set limits on how they interacted for a while.

"Not in here," he said at last. "Once Dylan's asleep again, we can go to your bedroom."

"Absolutely," agreed Erwin, obviously relieved. "We'll turn on the monitor so that we'll hear Dylan if he needs us."

Levi could agree with that, though it would be distracting to hear the baby while they were getting it on. He was already getting restless again, already missing Erwin's cock inside of him.

* * *

Erwin woke up the next morning to feel a weight on top of him. He was disoriented at first, but then he looked down and saw Levi's upturned, sleeping face resting on his chest. The night before came rushing back to him, and he started grinning like a fool. Levi rode him all night long and rocked his world. He didn't even request that Erwin let him bind his wrists again, and when the alpha dared to cup Levi's hips, he didn't admonish him for it.

It would take time for Levi to be comfortable enough to let Erwin make love to him the way he wanted to, but their encounter had been amazing, nonetheless. Levi really had talent in bed. Despite the limitations he'd set down, he'd worked that beautiful body of his with such skill it made up for the restrictions. Erwin hadn't come that much with a partner since he was in college, and Levi's policy against touching faded once they were both sated and falling asleep.

Erwin stroked the omega's hair as he stared at him. Levi looked so young in his sleep. He was also surprisingly cuddly. With one leg bent and lying across Erwin's, Levi slept peacefully on top of him. Erwin checked the time on his alarm clock, realized it was nearly noon and swore softly. He was supposed to have been at work four hours ago, and he hadn't even called in to let them know he was taking the day off.

Loathe to wake his companion but mindful of his responsibilities, Erwin gently shook Levi's shoulder. "Levi, I'm sorry to wake you, but I need to make a phone call. Dylan needs to be woken up and fed breakfast too, or he'll never get to sleep tonight."

"Mmm?" Levi opened his eyes slowly, and he stiffened when he met Erwin's gaze. "Oh. Last night..."

"Yes." Erwin traced Levi's features with his fingertips. "It was a very good night."

Levi dropped his eyes. "Really?"

"Absolutely," confirmed Erwin.

Levi looked at him again. "But I didn't suck you off or anything. I just treated you like a dildo."

Erwin couldn't help but chuckle at the omega's crude description. "I didn't feel like a dildo, Levi. You were fantastic. Your skills more than made up for the lack of foreplay."

"Tch, or you've just gone so long without getting laid, it was like throwing a starving man a cracker."

"It's been a long while, I admit. Still, the way you move those hips and the way you used your inner muscles had me seeing stars." He rubbed Levi's back, very aware of the press of his naked body against his own. "I hope we'll be doing that again in the future."

Levi's face gained a little color. His omega scent was still stronger than usual, but his heat symptoms had evidently been alleviated by their encounter. "I can't promise you're gonna get some every night. Last night with the heat...I could get over my inhibitions. I don't know if I can do that so easily on a normal day."

"No pressure," assured Erwin. He kissed Levi softly on the lips. "Whatever you can give me is enough."

"Seriously?" scoffed Levi. "How can you be so patient? Any other guy would be making plans to dump me after hearing I won't put out all the time."

"I'm not any other guy, at the risk of spouting the 'nice guy' speech. I wouldn't want to be with someone that only has sex with me out of a feeling of obligation. I want every encounter we have to be something you want as badly as I do. Otherwise I may as well be masturbating."

"I guess that's one way to look at it." Levi got off of Erwin, sat up and stretched. "I'll go take care of Dylan."

Erwin admired the sight of Levi arching his back like a cat. The omega kept his lower half covered up in a demonstration of some modesty, and he looked around for his robe. "Are you feeling well enough to take care of him?"

Levi nodded. "I'm sore, but the weakness is gone now. I'll take a hot bath after I get Dylan fed, and that should help the sting in my ass." He located his robe on the floor, and he slipped it on before getting out of the bed.

"Let me know if you need any help," offered Erwin. "I'd better call the precinct and explain myself. I'm sure they've already tried to call me a few times."

"At least you're the boss." Levi smirked at him. "It's not like they're going to fire you for taking a sick day."

"That's true enough, though I do still have superiors to answer to." Erwin got out of bed, and he nearly laughed when Levi stared at him and blushed deeply. He restrained himself, not wanting to embarrass Levi or make him feel any regrets.

* * *

-To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoohoo, up to chapter 18 now on the writing of this. It's coming along great, so I should have a chapter update each day until it's completed. Expect more cameo appearances from other characters in the future. ;-)

The time came for Levi to get back in contact with his cousin and friends. He decided to go through with it after literally having to hide when Mikasa stopped by without calling to give Erwin a toy Dylan had left behind. After she left, Levi informed Erwin that he wanted to go over to her place on the weekend.

"You're sure?" pressed the blond. "I thought you wanted to wait until you finished the program before taking this step."

"I did, but after today I think that would be a mistake. Mikasa's part of Dylan's life and sooner or later, we're going to cross paths. I'd rather face her and tell her the truth than to get called out on a lie."

Erwin's gaze softened on him. "That's very brave of you. How much of the truth do you plan to tell her? All of it?"

Levi sighed. He didn't want to tell her everything, but he didn't think she would believe he would be irresponsible enough to get addicted to heroin on his own. "I'm not sure. I don't think my original plan is going to work, though. I can't tell her Dylan's not really your son, either. It wouldn't be fair to him. I don't want his aunt seeing him as a product of rape. I can't do that to him."

Erwin reached out to pat Levi's shoulder comfortingly. "I understand. We can stick with that part of the story for Dylan's sake, but what do you have in mind for the rest?"

"I'm going to tell her I lied about being in a coma. I'll tell her about my abduction and...what he did to me before you raided his house. I'll tell her I left home because I wasn't ready to face what happened to me and I couldn't be a parent to Dylan."

"Do you think she'll understand?"

Levi shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I'm sure she'll be pissed at first, but maybe when she knows why I took off, she'll get over it."

"I'll go along with whatever you decide," promised Erwin. "But are you willing to have Eren and his friend find out what happened to you? The entire reason you asked for my help was because you didn't want your ordeal to become public knowledge."

"I know, and that's just a risk I'm going to have to take. Mikasa's my only family I actually give a shit about, and I can't keep living a lie."

Erwin's expression was sympathetic. "She may find it hard to believe you slept with me and conceived Dylan after going through such an experience, Levi."

Levi had to admit that was a concern of his as well. "I'll tell her I was drunk," he decided. "You were trying to comfort me, seeing as you were the one that found me and took me out of that place. We had one too many, and one thing led to another."

"Hmm, that isn't going to cast me in a very good light," murmured Erwin. "A policeman that takes advantage of a rape survivor and gets him pregnant? It may redirect your cousin's anger from you to me, at least."

"I'm not going to throw you under the bus," assured Levi. "I'll make sure she knows you were just as vulnerable as I was. I'll even say I made the first move."

Erwin's eyes widened a little. "I very much doubt she'll believe that."

"Why not?" Levi shrugged. "If I tell her I did it to get a sense of control back in my life, she might buy it. I've got control issues and she knows it. She also knows how involved you got in my life after you rescued me. She might find it more believable that you watched over me the way you did because I was carrying your kid. To be honest, the truth is stranger than fiction. How many guys would be willing to raise a kid that isn't theirs? Especially under the circumstances of his birth."

"I suppose some might find it hard to understand the motivation," conceded Erwin with a frown.

At once, Levi regretted his words. Erwin was Dylan's dad, and to keep bringing up his parentage was an insult against everything that Erwin Smith had done for the boy. Levi stepped closer to him, gazing up at the handsome, troubled face. "Hey, you're the only dad that Dylan's ever gonna have. Whether Mikasa believes he's yours or not, he has your name and he's being raised by you. That's all she needs to concern herself with."

"She may ask you if there's a chance you were already pregnant when we slept together," Erwin pointed out softly.

"I'll deny it," said Levi simply. "I'll tell her they tested me at the hospital right away when they brought me in and it came up negative."

Erwin looked doubtful, but he didn't try to deter Levi from his plan.

* * *

Levi's reunion with his cousin was a lot worse than Erwin expected it to be. He called her and told her he had a surprise to show her, and when Mikasa answered the door and saw Levi, her expression went from shock to anger. Before Erwin could even begin to try and explain to her, Mikasa drew back and punched Levi in the face. Bewildered, he didn't react immediately. Then Levi recovered from the hit, and he swung back.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" Eren Jaeger called when he heard his girlfriend cry out. He came running up to the front door, and when he saw the cousins glaring at each other and holding their jaws, he interposed himself between them. "Back off! What the fuck is this about? Jesus, we thought you were dead, Levi!"

"Obviously not." Levi grimaced slightly, and Erwin grabbed his shoulder when it looked like he was going to attack again.

"Enough! Levi, Mikasa, beating the shit out of each other isn't going to help matters."

Mikasa was being held back by Eren, and the anger in her eyes was laced with emotion. Unshed tears glittered as she spoke in a harsh, tight voice. "Do you know how long we've been searching for you, Levi? You abandoned your son and left without a word to any of us. Now you show up here as if nothing ever happened? How _dare_ you?"

"Give him a chance to explain, Mika," urged Eren with a troubled expression. "We don't know what was going on in the background."

"Yes, you should sit down together and talk in a civilized manner," agreed Erwin. "Levi came here because he wanted to explain. Please allow him to, and no more violence."

She hesitated, and her eyes locked with Levi's. Finally, Mikasa shrugged out of Eren's hold and stepped aside with a gesture. "Then come in and explain it to me, if you can. I want to know where the hell you've been and I want to understand why you ran away. On that subject, where is Dylan?"

"We dropped him off at daycare," Levi told her. "I knew you were going to be a bitch about this and I didn't want him subjected to your yelling."

"As if you give a damn what he's subjected to," she countered. "Don't try to play the concerned parent when you left him without a father for over a year."

"I left him with his other father," Levi defended, "and I had my reasons. Do you want to hear what they are or what?"

"Come in," she said grudgingly. "We'll talk outside on the back patio. Erwin, the game is on if you want to watch it with Eren while Levi and I talk."

"Thank you," he said, and he followed Levi inside the house. The tension in the air was thick, and Eren offered Erwin a beer while Levi and Mikasa went out back to talk.

"Man, I hope they work this out," sighed Eren, taking a seat next to the older alpha on the couch. "It's going to make things awkward with us seeing Dylan if those two stay pissed at each other."

"I'll do my best to help keep the peace." Erwin could see the curiosity in Eren's vivid green eyes, and he lowered his voice. "I'm sure you have questions of your own."

"Uh, yeah," agreed Eren. "Can you help me out? When did he get back? Must have been just recently, right?"

"Actually, Levi has been back for months," Erwin confessed. "He's been undergoing treatment, otherwise he would have gotten in touch with Mikasa sooner."

"Treatment for what?" Eren frowned. "He doesn't look sick."

Erwin hesitated, wondering how much he should divulge. Levi seemed to think Mikasa would tell Eren everything, so he supposed he could give him an abridged version. "The truth is, Levi is a recovering addict. He was living in Trost while he was away, and he fell into some bad habits."

"Levi, an addict?" Eren's face screwed up. "How did that happen? The guy won't even have more than one drink at a restaurant."

"There were extenuating circumstances that I can't get into," explained Erwin. "It's up to Levi to decide whether to give you the details, but believe me when I say that his problem developed through no fault of his own. He's doing really well in the program and he hasn't lapsed since he started it."

"So when did he get addicted? Don't tell me he was using while he was pregnant."

"No, he wasn't," assured Erwin. "He didn't use at all while he was carrying Dylan. He fell back into the habit after the baby was born. That was why he left, Eren. He was in a very bad place in his life and he needed a fresh start. Try not to judge him, because he's been through more than you know."

Eren stared at him, still visibly shocked. Erwin couldn't blame him. If he hadn't witnessed Levi's struggle with substance abuse himself, Erwin might not have believed him capable of such a vice.

"I would tell you more if I could," Erwin finished. "I'm leaving it up to Levi to decide how much he shares and with whom."

Eren nodded, and he took a sip of his beer. "I get it. Hey, Mikasa's pissed off, but it's mostly because she's been so worried about him. I'm sure she'll settle down once Levi explains everything to her."

"I hope so."

* * *

Mikasa listened to Levi's recount of what he'd survived through, and the shock on her face wasn't feigned in the least.

"You were raped?"

He nodded. "Repeatedly. He kept me drugged so I couldn't fight back. He forced a pair-bond on me. Chief Smith showed up one day with a warrant for my kidnapper's arrest. He resisted and got shot, and they found me in his basement. Erwin helped me cope with what happened...at least for a little while. One night he came over to check on me. I was in pretty bad shape. He kept me company and we had one drink too many."

Levi shrugged and looked off in the distance, because he couldn't look her in the eye when he said this part. "I woke up with him in my bed the next morning. Couldn't remember much about how he got there. I thought I just dreamed that I kissed him, but apparently not."

Mikasa frowned dubiously.

"You're probably thinking sex would be the last thing on my mind after what I went through," remarked Levi.

She nodded. "It seems like an unlikely coping mechanism."

"I don't know what to tell you," he sighed, looking at her again. "He was there for me, and I was angry. I guess I wanted to prove something to myself and screwing him was the way I went about doing it. Found out I was pregnant a few weeks later."

"And you're sure Dylan is his?"

Having already expected the question, Levi nodded. "Yeah. Do you think I'd have carried to term if it was my kidnapper's? I'd have aborted and you know it."

"Sometimes I feel I don't know you at all," sighed Mikasa. The anger from earlier had lost its edge, and she watched him with some regret. "I'm sorry this happened to you. I wish you'd trusted me enough to tell me from the beginning. I might have been able to help you, but you decided to just disappear from our lives and leave us all wondering whether you were dead or alive."

She rubbed her forehead as if it pained her. "I was so angry at Erwin for getting you in trouble, but then you vanished and left him to raise that baby alone. I couldn't understand how you could leave your own child like that. I thought you were a selfish asshole. I didn't know what you were going through."

"Well, now you do," Levi said softly. "I was going to put Dylan up for adoption when he was born, but then I saw how invested Erwin was in the pregnancy. That's why I signed over custody to him. He wanted that kid and I was unfit to be a parent. I didn't know if I'd ever be, but at least if Dylan stayed with his sire I'd have the chance to be in his life someday."

"And now you are," she mused. "And you've been clean since coming back?"

"Yes. I haven't had a fix since I got in the rehab program. I was going to wait until I was completely finished with it before getting back in touch with you. I wanted to get myself straightened out first, but I decided not to wait any longer."

"You've been living with Erwin right under our noses?"

Levi shrugged. "I couldn't stand it in that clinic any longer. I felt trapped and it was making it harder for me to stay clean. Erwin put heads together with one of my doctors and came up with the idea of me moving in with him. I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for him."

"I see." Mikasa tilted her head. "Does this mean you two are together?"

"It's complicated," answered Levi. "I'm still messed up over what happened to me. We're trying to work around that, but time will tell."

"You just need to keep trying," insisted Mikasa. "You've got a child together, and Erwin is very devoted to you. He's a good man, Levi."

"He is," agreed Levi. "That doesn't mean we're going to be any good together as a couple. I've got major issues to work through, and the man has his needs."

"Have you gone to any counseling about this?"

"No. I've been focusing on beating my addiction," he answered.

"Well, maybe you should consider it," suggested Mikasa. "You need someone you can talk to about what happened to you...someone impartial who can listen objectively."

"I'm no good at talking to strangers," he objected. "It took a long time for me to participate in group therapy, and I've never gone into details about how I ended up in rehab."

"I understand, but this isn't something you should keep to yourself indefinitely. What if it gets to be too much for you and it drives you to use again? I don't want to see that happen."

"Neither do I," he sighed. "But talking about it doesn't work for me. It makes it worse."

Mikasa didn't have anything to say about that. Instead, she changed the subject. "What happens when you've completed your therapy? Will you move out of Erwin's apartment and get your own place again?"

"I...haven't thought that far ahead," Levi told her. "First I have to be able to support myself before I try living on my own."

"What does Erwin think?"

"Tch. He'd let me live with him indefinitely. Problem is if things don't work out, that would just make us both miserable."

"You don't know what the future might bring," reasoned Mikasa. "I for one would like to see you end up with him. I think he's really good for you."

"We'll see," he said evasively. "So are you and I good, or do you want to go another round?"

Mikasa rubbed her jaw absently, where a bruise was forming from Levi's counter attack. "No, I think we both did enough damage. Now that I know what really happened, I'm not angry anymore."

Levi wished he could share her generosity. He was still angry with himself, and he probably would be for years to come. It was exhausting.

* * *

They returned to the apartment after leaving Mikasa's. Erwin had paid for four hours of daycare service, so they had almost two hours before they would need to pick Dylan back up. Incidentally, it gave Levi the perfect chance to initiate an encounter. When they stepped through the door, Levi gathered his nerves and he turned around to face Erwin as soon as the blond shut the door. He didn't say anything, again letting his actions speak for him rather than words.

"Levi, what...mmph..." Erwin's inquiry was cut off when the omega pushed him up against the door, grabbed hold of his shirt and yanked him down for an aggressive kiss. It surprised Levi as much as it did Erwin. The smaller man had a notion in his head that he would simply ask Erwin if he wanted sex, but then words failed him, he panicked a little and he just acted.

It definitely wasn't the soft, almost timid kiss Levi had issued earlier in the week that led to them having sex for the first time. This time it was raw and desperate. He suddenly knew that he couldn't keep living the way he had, punishing himself with celibacy that simply wasn't healthy for an omega of his age. He had needs still, and this was the one man he felt safe enough to fulfill them with.

Now if he could just get over the anxiety he felt when his body was touched intimately, maybe he could have a normal sex life and find some measure of peace. He believed the first step in doing that was to avoid doing it the way he had the last time. It had been too impersonal, not at all like the way Levi used to fuck before his abduction ordeal. Erwin deserved better than that.

The alpha's initial surprise rapidly dwindled, and he was quick to respond to Levi's kiss. His tongue burrowed its way between the omega's lips to explore his mouth, and Erwin made a throaty sound of desire. He jumped a little when Levi's fingers started scrambling at his belt. Erwin took his cue within seconds, and he started to help Levi with that. Hunched over as he was so that the height difference between them wouldn't spoil the kiss, the blond's attempt to assist was clumsy. Levi felt his own hands trembling as he got the belt undone and began to work on getting the pants undone.

"Should we move this into the bedroom?" Erwin asked huskily when Levi broke the kiss and started pulling his pants down.

Levi shook his head. Not yet. He needed a different setting to get this started, because beds still made him twitchy. He didn't have a heat cycle to help give him incentive. He was acting on sheer determination. He wasn't even aroused yet, but he didn't need to be for his intentions. He looked up at his companion's confused face as he freed Erwin from his pants and squatted down. He couldn't go all the way to his knees because the handsome bastard was too tall for that. Erwin's cock would have been dangling over Levi's head if he tried.

Erwin's breath caught as Levi demonstrated his purpose, delicately licking the tip of that monster cock and grasping the base of it in his hand. Erwin wasn't hard yet, but that changed within moments. Levi planted kisses up and down the length of the shaft while stroking it slowly in his fist. The girth increased, the shaft elongated and soon Erwin was at full mast.

 _~Now that I have your attention,~_ thought Levi dryly, _~I'm going to show you I'm not a cold fish.~_

It had been quite a while since he'd voluntarily serviced a dick this big, but if there was one thing Levi's exes could agree on, it was that he gave amazing head. One of the tricks was to maintain eye contact with his partner, and Levi did just that as he sealed his lips tightly around Erwin's girth and started drawing him into his mouth. He gazed up at him with bedroom eyes, hardly having to think about it because it was an almost instinctive skill of his.

"Levi," gasped Erwin, his face tensing with pleasure. "That little mouth of yours...fuck..."

Despite the fact that Levi was having trouble blocking out bad memories of the last time he'd sucked cock, he felt a surge of pride. He was shaking Erwin's composure. He still had it; he just had to face his demons and remember how to do it all again. He stroked his tongue against the underside of Erwin's length as he worked his mouth over it, gliding over the big vein running along it. His cheeks hollowed, and he tilted his head to take it in at another angle. Relaxing his throat muscles, Levi defied the gag reflex. He saw Erwin's eyes go wide when he managed to take the man down his throat until his nose was almost pressing against the crisp blond pubic hairs.

"Ah, christ," rasped Erwin. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was trying not to touch Levi. The alpha leaned back against the door a little to steady himself, and his face was going ruddy.

Levi wanted to reward Erwin for being so damned considerate of him. How could they advance this relationship if the man could never touch him for fear of triggering him? Levi drew back to relieve the pressure on his throat, allowing the thick shaft to slide out of his mouth to the tip. He kissed the bulbous head, and he spoke huskily to Erwin.

"Go ahead," urged Levi. "You can touch me. Just don't pull my hair or ram yourself down my throat, all right?"

Erwin hesitated for a second, and then he took Levi's advice. His big fingers carded gently through Levi's hair. He stared down at the omega with parted lips as Levi continued his attentions. Erwin groaned when Levi cupped the heavy sack behind the shaft and massaged it. The guy's balls were so big they spilled over the sides of Levi's palm. Levi's hands were small, though. He had long fingers, but slim palms. He almost needed to use both hands to give Erwin a proper nut roll, but his touch was deft enough that he managed with just one.

Levi further delighted and surprised Erwin by nuzzling his sack a little, kissing and sucking the wrinkled flesh before taking his cock into his mouth again. Erwin started panting roughly. Levi glanced up and saw that those ocean blue eyes were unfocused and distant. Erwin was getting close. He could be a tease and avoid bringing him to completion. He could let him take him to the bedroom and finish inside of him, but Levi didn't want to delay his gratification. The look on Erwin's face turned him on, and he started swelling in his jeans.

Levi braced himself, knowing full-well that he could easily choke on Erwin's cum if he wasn't prepared. He bobbed his head faster and he used his hand to stroke the part he couldn't fit into his mouth without opening his throat up. He deep-throated him when Erwin started tensing and spouting breathless warnings. As soon as Levi felt the substantial balls in his palm tightening up, he began to swallow. The salty gush filled his mouth and he drank it all, not stopping until he was certain he'd finished it off.

When it was over, Levi licked Erwin clean, wiped his mouth and straightened back up. Erwin was wheezing and looking quite dumbfounded. Levi reached up to comb the blond's bangs back into place. He ignored the lingering aftertaste of spunk in his mouth, deciding that he'd had a lot worse. He smirked a little, feeling suddenly shy.

"I wanted to show you I can do foreplay," whispered Levi. "Our first time was a piss-poor example of how I can be in the bedroom. I want more for you."

"Still too hard on yourself," gasped the alpha. "We did it for hours, Levi."

Levi shook his head. "That's just time, and we aren't going to always have a heat or a rut to make it last like that. It shouldn't just be mechanical. I don't want you to have regrets about being with me. I want to live again."

Erwin met his eyes, and he reached out to caress Levi's face. "You are wonderful, do you know that?"

"Of course I don't know that." Levi frowned, a hint of bitterness creeping into his tone. "I'm damaged, and that's a fact we can't get around. I don't want to be _broken_ forever, though. That was the first time I've sucked cock voluntarily for two years. Was it...good?"

Levi already knew it was good. Men like Erwin Smith didn't react that way to shitty blow jobs, but he felt he needed reassurance.

"Levi, that was by far the best blow job I think I've ever had," said the alpha. "Really and truly. 'Good' isn't a strong enough adjective for it."

Levi managed the tiniest smile. "Then I look forward to doing it again sometime. Sorry if I took you by surprise by jumping you like that."

"Never apologize for something like that." Erwin smiled down at him. "The fact that you're so unpredictable...you're just so unlike anyone I've ever been with. It draws me to you more with each day."

Levi tried to pull away when Erwin lowered his mouth to his for a kiss. "Oi, I've got your spunk on my breath..."

"I don't care," murmured Erwin, and he pressed his lips to the omega's. He kissed him lingeringly, his thumb tracing the shell of Levi's right ear and making him shiver. He pulled back, and he tilted his head.

"What?" Levi prompted, seeing the thoughtful look in the bigger man's eyes. "Something you want to ask me?"

"I do, but I don't want to spoil the moment and make you feel pressured."

Levi could guess what was on his mind. Erwin had already told him some of the things he wished he could do with him, and the way he'd tried so hard to avoid touching him earlier gave Levi some insight. He fucking loved this man. He loved his patience, he loved his determination and he loved how Erwin always put his feelings above his own needs.

"Go ahead and ask," encouraged Levi. "The worst I can do is say no."

"It isn't the rejection that worries me," explained Erwin. "It's making you uncomfortable and damaging your trust in me."

Levi kept his gaze level on the blond. "I don't think that's going to happen, Erwin. Ask me."

"All right. I would very much like to return the favor." Erwin took Levi's hands in his. "It doesn't have to be right now, but I want to touch you, kiss your most sensitive parts, make you feel as good as you just made me feel."

Levi checked his watch. They had time before they would need to pick up Dylan, but perhaps not enough to experiment with what Erwin wanted to do. He knew it was going to take a lot of care on Erwin's part to act on his desire without startling him. It was going to take some discipline on Levi's part to let him. Such an endeavor would no doubt require more than an hour.

"One night this week," Levi said softly, "we'll make arrangements for Dylan to stay with Mikasa and Eren. Preferably on a date when I don't have any therapy sessions and you don't have to work late. We can have the whole place to ourselves and maybe we can explore this together."

Levi sighed, and he reached up to cup Erwin's face. "I can't make any promises, though. I don't want to get your hopes up. I haven't let anyone touch me like that for a long time. You'll be the first, and I can't say how I'll react."

"I understand." Erwin turned his head to kiss Levi's palm. "I'll be very careful if you let me do this, Levi. The moment you tell me to stop, I will. What matters to me is that you're willing to try."

Levi nodded, and he took a deep breath. If he could do this...if he could let Erwin put his hands on his body and get into the experience of it, there might be some hope after all.

* * *

Erwin had his good days and his bad days. It just so happened that Wednesday was a bad day. First he had to deal with health inspectors at the workplace, which ordinarily wasn't an issue except that he also had an emergency downtown to deal with around the same time. He instructed Annie to show the health inspectors around while he went downtown with Mike to deal with the aftermath of a shooting.

Apparently they had a serial shooter on their hands. It had happened the night before, seemingly at random. However, it was the third shooting in the area that month. Forensics confirmed that the bullets extracted from all three victims came from the same gun. There was no evidence of the crimes being gang related. One of the victims did have illegal narcotics on their person, so it was possibly drug related. Two of them had been previously arrested and subsequently released under probation—and they happened to be the two dealers Erwin had tracked down that had connections with Levi's kidnapper.

Erwin got into the squad car with Mike, and he checked his schedule as they drove away from the station. He was supposed to make plans with Levi tomorrow night, but with the way things were going, he feared he was going to have to work late all week.

"You ready for this, chief?"

Erwin looked at his companion, who was driving the car. Mike was a solid presence as always, but Erwin sometimes worried that he relied on the man too much. "I honestly can't say I'm ever ready to make a public statement to the press on matters like this. We have no leads, no suspect and little more than speculation as to a possible motive."

"You'll come up with something," Mike said with confidence. "You always do."

Erwin rubbed his chin in thought. It seemed he was always improvising. "No matter how you slice it, the fact is we have an unknown killer on the loose and people are afraid. I can't get up there and tell people we have everything under control. They would see through that."

"Just tell them what we know so far," suggested Mike. "You're good at calming people down. Even when you don't know what the hell you're doing, you make it look like you do."

"Do I?" Erwin smirked. He put his shades on when their trajectory put them in the direct path of sunlight. "Let's hope I manage it today."

They took the exit that would take them to the civics building where they would be holding the conference. Mike drove around to the back, and other law officials were already there. Erwin and Mike exchanged a glance as they got out of the car, and Erwin took a deep breath. He really wasn't looking forward to this.

* * *

Levi caught the broadcast of the press conference by accident. He had no idea that Erwin was going to be making a public statement on the news, and he nearly skipped past the channel. He went back when he caught a glimpse of Erwin's face on the screen, and he turned the television up so he could hear it better. The scrolling letters at the bottom of the screen said that it had something to do with local shootings.

 _"We do know that the victims were all shot by the same gun,"_ Erwin said into the microphone. _"We have one surveillance recording with a possible suspect, and we have people working on enhancing the footage for a clearer picture."_

Levi picked up Dylan when the baby crawled over to him and pulled himself up using Levi's pants. He propped the child in his lap and listened as the press asked Erwin questions. So far it seemed that all they had to go by was that the suspect might be a tall, lanky man that was seen wearing a long coat in the footage they captured of the third shooting. It happened outside of a park near the baseball stadium.

"Not a hell of a lot to go on," muttered Levi.

Erwin didn't talk about his job with him, and Levi never asked. The alpha never brought his work home with him, so to speak. Yes, he sometimes brought paperwork home with him to complete rather than doing it in the office, and he sometimes did work on his computer, but he never discussed it.

Levi looked at his son contemplatively. How much stress was Erwin really under, but never mentioned it because he wanted to be the stabilizing factor in everyone's life? Maybe it was time for Levi to show a greater interest in Erwin's work life and personal feelings. It dawned on him that nearly everything Levi knew about the man revolved around Erwin's feelings for him and his home life. There was much more to the package.

"How the hell do I approach that, though?" mused Levi aloud. He patted Dylan's back when the child turned around in his lap and pressed his face against his chest. He used to do that too, when he was a kid. His mother used to say he spent a lot of his time face-planted against her bosom, especially when strangers were around.

"What do you think, kid?" Levi went on. "Can an anti-social guy like me get an iron soul like your dad to open up to him?"

Erwin was really good at getting people to talk to him. He had a way about him that made people just want to spill the beans and share their woes, and he had a talent for bolstering morale and making people feel safe. He wasn't the world's greatest at sharing his own vulnerabilities, though. In that, he and Levi were similar.

Levi resolved to try and be more supportive of Erwin from that day on. The man had done so much for him and for Dylan, not to mention the fact that he put himself in real danger every day for the sake of the community. Levi had never been a fan of the police, but his perspective had changed a bit since meeting Erwin Smith. He had more trust in law enforcement—at least local law enforcement—now than he ever had before.

Besides, Erwin looked damned good in uniform. The unbidden thought reminded Levi that he and Erwin were supposed to have a date tomorrow, and they would have the place to themselves until the next morning. They wouldn't have Dylan to distract them, and unless some emergency interrupted them, they could do whatever they wanted.

A shiver went through Levi. He'd promised Erwin that he would try to be more intimate with him, let him touch him in ways that nobody else had since his kidnapping incident. He wouldn't know how he would react to that until it happened. Erwin had told him that he wouldn't pressure him, that their date didn't have to end in a sexual encounter if Levi wasn't ready for it. While that was reassuring, Levi harbored a deep, silent need to find out if he could ever attain normalcy in his sex life again, if he could ever give Erwin what the man deserved in a partner.

He supposed he would find out tomorrow night.

* * *

-To be continued


	11. Chapter 11

"So, I saw you on the news today."

Erwin paused in taking a bite of the chili Levi had prepared for dinner. "Oh?"

Levi nodded. "I was flipping through the channels looking for a kid's program for Dylan. Next thing I knew, I saw your face on the screen. You looked good."

Erwin smiled slightly. He ate his spoonful and wiped his lips. "Thank you."

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the sound of Dylan smacking his lips as Levi fed him some strained peas off his plate. The omega spoke again, and his voice sounded faintly hesitant. "A shooter, huh? I need to pay more attention to the news. I had no idea."

"It's only now become worthy of widespread media," explained Erwin. "Incidents like that aren't uncommon, but the frequency and connections between these particular ones have caused a stir. It needed to be addressed."

"Yeah. You think it's a serial killer?"

Erwin shrugged, took a sip of his ginger ale and considered his answer before giving it. "Evidence does suggest that possibility. We've ruled out gang relation to it."

"Is there any connection between the victims?" pressed Levi.

Erwin looked at him, and he hid a frown. It was unlike Levi to ask so many questions about his casework. He'd always assumed he just didn't want to know about it because the subject of crime brought up too many bad memories for him.

"Yes, there is," admitted Erwin carefully, "but there's more investigating to be done before we can ascertain the depth of it."

"English, please." Levi smirked at him.

"In other words, we're avoiding making too many assumptions," clarified Erwin with a smirk of his own.

"Okay. So what's the assumption so far that you're trying to avoid making?"

Erwin looked at him, hesitant again.

"What's with that look?" demanded Levi. "It's like you're on trial or something."

Erwin sighed. "Could we talk about something else?"

Levi shook his head, eyeballing him with a sharp, pale gaze. "No, because now you've got me even more curious. Why don't you want to talk about this?"

Erwin really didn't want to share what he'd only pieced together after the press conference. He needed to protect Levi, and the information he'd discovered was a delicate matter. "You aren't going to let this go, are you?"

"Afraid not," answered Levi with a shrug. "If you weren't acting so suspicious I might, but now I want to know why you're resisting talking about it. Do you think it's something I can't handle hearing about?"

Erwin's lips thinned. "All right, but don't read too much into it. We think all three victims were connected by drug trafficking. Further evidence was discovered this afternoon to back that theory."

"Oh." Levi went still, and he looked down at his forgotten bowl of chili. "What kind of drugs?"

Erwin dropped his voice to a low, solemn tenor. "Heroin."

Levi tensed, as anticipated. "I see."

Erwin briefly shut his eyes. What he wouldn't give to shield Levi from this. He looked at the omega again, and he wished he could have avoided causing that hollow expression on his face. He didn't dare tell him more. He had to be absolutely sure before he informed Levi of his suspicions that those shooting victims may have dealt with Derrick Slater before his demise. He couldn't bring himself to keep it all from Levi, though.

"We think this may be a dispute between drug lords. Someone has a personal vendetta against those people, if we're right about this."

Levi met his eyes again, frowning. "How do you mean? Like the shooter got screwed out of a deal and this is how he's paying them back?"

"Possibly," Erwin said evasively. "Right now, we only have theories. Until we can get positive identification of the shooter and track him down, we won't know his true motivations. The only thing we know for certain at this point is that these weren't random killings, and they all had one thing in common."

"Huh. Maybe the victims dealt drugs to someone close to the shooter and it fucked up their life. That could be a motive."

Erwin nodded stiffly. Levi was hitting too close to the mark of what he himself suspected. He had to tread lightly. Levi had been through enough. "Perhaps. Let's change the subject. I would rather talk about more pleasant things."

"Sure." Levi bit his lip. "Hey, I didn't mean to stress you out. I just thought you might want to get some things off your chest. I never ask you about work and I think you keep too much bottled up."

Erwin felt warmth suffuse his chest, and he smiled at the smaller man. "You were worried about me? Is that what prompted this interrogation?"

Levi's cheeks pinkened, and he shrugged. "You're always encouraging me to talk about my feelings. Seems pretty selfish that I never ask about yours. I get it if you'd rather put work behind you when you come home, but everyone needs to vent sometimes, big guy. You're not made of stone, despite how damned stoic you always seem."

"Appearances can be deceiving," agreed Erwin. In truth, there were times when all he wanted to do when he got home was take Levi into his arms, hold him tight and pretend the world wasn't such a fucked up place. "It means a lot to me that you're thinking of me. I realize I'm not an open book when it comes to work related things, but it didn't occur to me that I might be causing you concern."

The omega shrugged again. "I just want you to know you don't have to be so tight-lipped about it. No pressure, but if you need to talk about it sometimes, I'll listen. It's only fair, right? You've been taking care of me, so I should be able to reciprocate."

Impulsively, Erwin reached across the table to lay a hand overtop one of Levi's and give it a squeeze. "I'm touched by your consideration. Truly." He patted the smaller hand and then withdrew with a smile. "How was your day?"

Levi fed Dylan another spoonful. "Uneventful. Well, I did touch bases with my friend Farlan that I used to work with. Talked with him for about an hour. That was a mess."

"I imagine he had a lot of questions for you," reasoned Erwin sympathetically.

"Yeah. Him and Isabel thought I was dead in a ditch somewhere. I gave him the same story I initially gave to Mikasa. I'm not ready to share the truth with them. Only reason I told her is because she's family."

"I understand. Will I ever get to meet Farlan and Isabel?"

"I don't know. Maybe we can all go to a movie or something sometime. I've got to come up with an excuse if they ever ask to meet up with me when you're not around, though." Levi glanced down at his right ankle, where his tracking device was still fastened. "I'll be glad when I can ditch this thing for good."

Erwin nodded. He knew it had to be frustrating for Levi to have his independence so limited. It didn't seem right to him. Levi wasn't some hardened criminal; he was simply a man that fell into bad habits under circumstances beyond his control. While law enforcement was keeping such a close eye on him, real criminals were out in the world roaming free.

"You have what, a month left before you've completed your program?"

"Yeah, and I'm counting the days. Once I've 'graduated', they'll lift the house arrest and I'll finally be free to...well, do whatever the hell I'm gonna do."

"And what _are_ you going to do?" asked Erwin softly. They hadn't discussed that part yet. "You're welcome to stay with me for as long as you like, you know. You don't have to move out."

Levi appeared uncertain, and he stared at Dylan contemplatively. "I don't know where I'm going to live yet. I just know I plan to get employed as soon as I can. If I stay here, I'm definitely going to be pitching in on the bills when I've got an income."

Erwin looked between Levi and Dylan. The unspoken question hung heavy in the air, but he didn't know how to bring it up. Levi noticed, seeming to read his concerns on his face.

"Dylan's staying with you," said the omega, "no matter where I end up. You're his dad and I've got no intention of separating him from you. Wouldn't be fair or right. That doesn't mean I won't be around to help raise him. Maybe we can have joint custody eventually, if I end up somewhere else. I'm not taking him away from his dad though."

Erwin's gaze softened on the omega. "Thank you. What about us? You and I, that is?"

Levi's dark brows pinched briefly. "I'm not going to suddenly dump you, if that's what you mean. Whatever we have together is still being figured out. If it works out, then we'll still have it when my restrictions are lifted. I just may want to try living on my own for a while...see if I can do it, you know? Doesn't mean you and I can't still date."

"I understand." Of course Levi would want to explore his freedom, and of course he would consider living on his own. That was the sort of person he was. If not for that one mistake he'd made, he probably wouldn't be here now. Of course, if he hadn't overdosed and gotten arrested, he might still be on heroin. He might not even be alive. That unfortunate circumstance could very well have saved Levi's life.

"You're not upset?" pressed Levi.

"I haven't the right," answered the blond with a shrug. "You aren't my husband or my property. You have every right to live on your own if that's what you want. I just wanted reassurance that our relationship isn't temporary."

Levi narrowed his eyes. "You think I'm that fickle? Oi, listen here; I've done things with you that I never thought I'd—"

"Please, don't get upset," interrupted Erwin, realizing his error. "I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything. I'm just concerned that...that you'll..." He trailed off, struggling for a way to speak his thoughts without insulting the omega.

"You're afraid I'm going to run away again," Levi finished for him on a guess. He sighed, and he took the baby out of his highchair when Dylan started fussing. Cradling the boy in his lap, Levi spoke in a softer tone. "I guess I can't blame you for that. I put a lot of effort into staying off your radar for a year."

"Yes, you did," sighed the blond. The subject was out in the open now, and it was past the point of taking any of it back. "I understand why you did it, but you need to understand how your actions effected others. Not just me, but everyone that cares for you."

"You don't think I know that?" challenged Levi. "You think I don't wake up with regrets every fucking day? Hell, one of the steps in my recovery program is to write an apology letter to everyone I hurt, and I'm _still_ working on yours. How the hell do I apologize for everything I put you through, though? 'I'm sorry for dumping my kid on you and leaving you to raise him alone, even though he wasn't your responsibility in the first place'? I don't even know where to begin, Erwin."

The alpha frowned helplessly. He hadn't meant for the conversation to go in this direction, and Levi was obviously upset. In fact, the omega's eyes were suspiciously moist. His face was flushed and his mouth was quivering. Dylan started to cry too, not able to understand the sudden tension in the air but quite sensitive to his father's mood.

Erwin got out of his chair and circled around the dining table. He knelt before Levi, and it occurred to him as he took the omega's tense hands in his own that he looked like he was about to propose to him. He supposed he was, in a way.

"Listen to me, Levi. You don't need to write an apology letter to me. I know that you regret how you handled things, but you must remember that you were trying to do what was best. Your intentions weren't bad. You didn't go away for the purpose of hurting anyone, and I shouldn't have implied otherwise. All that I really want is a chance with you, and I admit that I suffer some insecurities because you aren't always the easiest person to read."

"How are you always so patient?" accused Levi. "You should be angry, not contrite. I screwed you over more than anyone."

"Levi, that isn't true."

Levi cocked his head to the side. "No? Who else have I saddled with a kid? Who else's life have I disrupted as much as yours?"

Erwin struggled for words. "How can I prove to you that my life hasn't been damaged? If anything, it's been enriched. I love Dylan, and I wouldn't trade him _or_ you for anything. It hasn't been easy, but your being here has been an immense help. Yes, I suffered while you were away. I wondered about you constantly, wondered if I would ever see you again. You're here now though, and all I can ask of you is that you keep trying."

"But you're scared I'm going to run away again," reasoned Levi softly.

"The thought crosses my mind, yes. I can't help that. It's up to you to prove me wrong."

Levi rubbed his forehead, and he set Dylan down when the child started squirming restlessly. "We're talking in circles now. One minute you're apologizing for implying I'd run off, then you're telling me I've got to prove you wrong. Which is it, Erwin? Do you trust me or not?"

"I do trust you, but I can't reconcile some lingering doubts." Erwin sighed, and he stood up again. "I didn't want to start an argument with you, Levi. When it comes to you, my feelings get tangled. Rationality isn't always easy to maintain."

Erwin bent over, and he kissed Levi on the crown of his head before whispering to him. "I'm crazy about you. I can hardly think straight for the desire I have for you, and I'm not used to lacking self-control. It's the only excuse I can give for my contradictory behavior."

Levi stared up at him as Erwin straightened again, and the annoyance faded from his comely features. "I don't know what makes me so special. I haven't done anything to deserve all this adoration from you."

Erwin smirked, saying nothing. Levi would never believe in his own worth until he proved it to himself, and all that Erwin could do was encourage him and refuse to give up on him.

* * *

The next day, Mikasa came over to pick up Dylan around three o'clock in the afternoon. Levi made sure he had everything the baby would need packed up before seeing him off. Mikasa didn't ask about his plans, though she'd probably already guessed that it was romantic in nature. Fortunately she wasn't a nosey woman, and she was content to leave it up to her cousin to decide what to tell her and when. Perhaps she didn't press the matter because Levi's confession about what happened to him was still fresh on her mind.

Once she left with his son, Levi started making preparations for the evening. Erwin had offered to take him out to a restaurant, but Levi was too nervous to be in a social setting. Instead of dining out, they would order food from a restaurant for Erwin to pick up on his way home. That was fine by Levi. He didn't think he could concentrate on cooking anyway.

Levi changed Erwin's bedding, showered and picked out clothes to wear for their evening together. He checked himself out in the full-length mirror in the corner of the bedroom after slipping on the revealing underwear he'd ordered online. He hadn't told Erwin about it because he wanted it to be a surprise—provided he could find the stones to even wear the thing.

"Hmph. Not too bad," he mused, turning around to look over his shoulder at his reflection. The black stretch lace thong was more comfortable than he'd expected. It was cut to show off his ass, and his concerns about whether his package would fit in it proved unfounded. His face heated as he turned around again to face the mirror, and he ran his hands over his abs. Good thing the apartment building had a workout gym downstairs and Levi was able to use it without leaving the grounds and setting off his beeper.

He frowned at the black device strapped to his ankle. He'd gotten so used to it that he hardly noticed it any longer, but now it stood out like a sore thumb to him. "Tch. Real sexy."

There was no help for it, though. He couldn't take the thing off, or it would send a signal and they'd think he was tampering with it. At least it was water proof. He just hoped the sight of it wouldn't turn Erwin off.

He was getting ahead of himself, though. He might not get this far undressed by the end of the evening. It depended on whether he could push past his sexual anxiety and give Erwin what he wanted. With a little sigh, Levi picked up the snug black pants he'd chosen to wear and pulled them on. He put on socks and the black boots he'd chosen to go with the outfit, and then he slipped on the metallic gray silk t-shirt. It draped over his body sensually, hanging loose with a deep v neck that revealed his clavicle and the top part of his chest.

It needed something else. Something to go around his neck. Levi considered the cravat he sometimes wore when dressing up, but he thought that would clash with the image he was trying to create. Instead, he chose to put on a simple silver chain necklace. That seemed to do the trick. It complimented the ensemble without calling too much attention to itself.

"Shit, am I trying too hard?" he mused. He hadn't tried to dress up seductively for anyone in ages. Looking at himself now, he thought he might as well write "fuck me" on his forehead. With the ass-hugging pants, part of his chest showing and the mid-thigh boots it was obvious what he was advertising.

He was sure Erwin would like it though, so he pushed aside his uncertainty and didn't change into something less seductive. Taking a deep breath, he checked his watch for the time. Erwin would be home in about an hour, unless something happened at the station that required him to work late. Levi decided to make a cup of chamomile tea for himself to calm his nerves.

* * *

"Damn it," cursed Erwin as another stack of paperwork got deposited on his desk. He was already cutting it close, and it looked like he might have to keep Levi waiting.

"Is there a problem, Chief?" asked Nanaba with raised brows. She glanced down at the stack of files. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," he informed her. "It's my first date night with Levi."

"Oh?" She smiled at him slyly. "Color me surprised. I thought you'd decided nothing could ever happen between you two."

"Things have changed," he said evasively. He'd told nobody about the night he had sex with Levi, though the temptation to brag had been very real. "We're going to give it a shot, but if I'm late for our first date it may be the last one I ever get to have with him."

"Sounds like a problem." Nanaba picked up the paperwork, checked through it and then shrugged. "Let's compromise. I wouldn't want your chances with him to get blown, so I'll take care of this for you. Mike can help me."

Erwin sighed with relief, and he smiled at her. "You are now my favorite person here, Nanaba. I can't thank you enough for helping me."

She chuckled softly. "A bit dramatic, aren't we? You've really got it bad, sir."

Erwin didn't try to deny it. She and Mike knew him better than anyone else at work, and he was confident that they were the only coworkers that knew how smitten he was. As such, it was acceptable to him that she'd made the observation. He finished up the file he was working on, put it on top of the pile and shut down his computer.

"Thank you again. I think I'd best get out of here while I still can."

"Good luck on your date," she offered. "You'll have to tell us all about it tomorrow."

"I will," he promised, but Erwin had no intention of getting into the details, if only out of respect for Levi. He grabbed his coat, and made his exit before any more paperwork could be thrown at him. As he walked to his car, he called Levi's cell to let him know he was on his way.

"Hey, I'm leaving the precinct now," informed Erwin once his love interest answered the phone. "Have they picked up Dylan yet?"

"Yeah," answered Levi. "Mikasa picked him up around three. Did you already call the restaurant or do you need me to make the order?"

Erwin had forgotten all about the pickup order, and he cursed softly. That's what he got for being so eager and preoccupied. "Actually, I haven't called them yet and I think I left the menu at home. Would you mind putting in the order for me?"

"Sure. Yeah, you did leave the menu behind. I see it on the kitchen counter. You wanted the steak and lobster, right? Medium rare?"

"Yes." Erwin got into his car and cranked it up. "Thank you, Levi. I can't believe how absent minded today. I suppose I'm a bit nervous."

"Heh. You are? I thought it was just me."

Erwin chuckled. "It isn't just you. I haven't been on a date for a very long time, and even though we're doing it at home, it's still a date."

"No kidding," sighed Levi. "Well, I'd better let you go so I can call in our dinner order. See you in a while, blondie."

"Until then," agreed Erwin, and he hung up. His heart was beating fast and his palms were sweaty. It was as if he was going on his first date ever, and it was ridiculous to him that he would feel so insecure about it. They were just having dinner and watching a movie together. It wasn't like they never did that on a regular day.

Of course, the purpose of this evening wasn't just to spend time together as they usually did. If things went well, he might finally get to make love to Levi. That changed the playing field entirely.

* * *

When Erwin arrived at the apartment with their dinner, he wasn't expecting to find Levi lounging on the couch in the living room. He nearly dropped the bag containing their food when he saw him.

"My god," breathed Erwin sincerely, looking the other male up and down. That outfit Levi was wearing made the blond want to lick him all over. "You look...you look amazing."

Levi sat up, gazing back at Erwin with something like relief on his face. "I thought I might have overdone it. The table's already set if you want to set the food on it."

"Right. The food." Eating was the furthest thing from Erwin's mind right now, and as Levi got up to follow him into the dining room, the alpha had an overpowering urge to yank Levi to him and kiss him until his legs gave out. He somehow restrained himself, and he set the bag down to open it up. He could smell Levi's scent even over the aroma of the food. Erwin fumbled with the oyster appetizers, distracted by his companion.

"Butterfingers," accused Levi dryly. "Here, let me help before you dump it everywhere."

Erwin allowed him to handle the rest of the containers, not trusting himself to do it. He took off his coat and hung it up while Levi finished dishing out their food onto plates. There were already two glasses filled with what looked like ginger ale on the table. Erwin took his seat at the table, unable to tear his eyes off Levi. Those boots...Erwin had never seen Levi wear them before. They were lace-up black leather that went up to the omega's mid-thigh, and they were sexy as hell on him. Levi bent over to pick up a napkin that had fallen off the table, incidentally presenting Erwin with a delightful view of his ass and the way his pants fit him like a second skin.

Seemingly oblivious to the torture he was putting Erwin through, Levi straightened back up with the napkin, and he sat down across from the blond. He placed his napkin in his lap, picked up his spoon and stirred the seafood bisque he'd ordered.

"Smells good," Levi commented. He opened up one of the packets of crackers and crumbled them into the soup, and then he eyed the dozen oysters on the half shell in the center of the table. "Were you trying to imply something when you suggested those as an appetizer?"

Erwin flushed. "Er, not purposely, but I see how you could get that impression."

Levi smirked, and he reached for one of them. "I've never had raw oysters before. They look like giant loogies or something."

"They may look unappetizing, but I promise you they are delicious." Erwin took one for himself, and he squeezed a little lemon juice onto it, following up with a dash of hot sauce. "Are you going to try one?"

Levi eyed the oyster in his hand dubiously. "This is usually the part where I'd say 'hell no', but if you're eating them..." he shrugged, and he mimicked Erwin's actions. He watched as the blond loosened the meat from the shell with his spoon and ate it right off the shell. Levi frowned, and he did the same. His mouth worked as he chewed experimentally, and one thin brow went up with subtle surprise.

"You're right," he admitted after swallowing. "Not bad at all."

Erwin smiled, pleased that he'd convinced Levi to try something different. He picked up another oyster to doctor it up. He watched Levi as he ate, observing the delicate way the omega spooned up his bisque and sipped at it. He was so cute. Even the way he ate was adorable to Erwin. He was as fastidious as a cat, and Erwin half expected Levi to start tongue-bathing himself.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" muttered Levi around the rim of his glass as he brought it to his lips for a drink.

"Do I really need to answer that question?" Erwin finally took his eyes off of Levi so that he could cut into his steak. "Have you seen yourself? I would challenge anyone to sit in front of you without staring at you."

Levi dropped his gaze, and his face gained a bit of color. "It's nothing too special. Glad you like it, though."

"I have to disagree that what you're wearing isn't special," husked Erwin. He could see the outline of Levi's nipples through the pewter colored shirt he was wearing. The material was almost sheer, concealing enough to tease without showing everything off. "When did you get those boots, by the way?"

"I've had these for a while," explained Levi. "I just never had an excuse to wear them before tonight. Not that I give a damn about fashion rules, but boot season only started recently too."

"As far as I'm concerned, you should wear those all the time and to hell with what season it is." Erwin grinned at him. "I'll even buy a second pair for you if you want."

"You like 'em that much, do you?" Levi gave him a tiny, crooked smile. "If I knew you had such a boot fetish, I might have worn them sooner."

"Now you know." They were flirting, and it felt great. Whatever issues Levi had with intimacy, he was good at this. It didn't even feel forced. Levi had a natural sensuality about him, and Erwin could only hope the ease at which they were interacting right now would become permanent.

"I'm wearing something else you might like, too," Levi informed him. "I ordered it last week."

"Oh?" Erwin eyed him up and down. He liked everything Levi was wearing, but he could only assume the man was hinting at something that wasn't visible on the outside. "Would this something happen to be underneath your clothes?"

"Good guess," confirmed the omega. "I felt kind of stupid putting it on, but hopefully it's to your taste."

"You have my attention." Erwin had another sip of his drink. It felt hotter in the apartment, and he absently undid the top button of his uniform shirt to get more air. "Can you give me a hint of what kind of material I may have the privilege of viewing tonight?"

"I could, but I think I'll save that for later," teased Levi. "It's supposed to be a surprise."

Erwin's heart beat faster. The promise was evident in Levi's tone. He couldn't rush things. Putting any pressure on Levi might ruin things and make him change his mind. Erwin wanted him too badly to risk that.

"Then I look forward to having the surprise revealed to me."

* * *

They enjoyed a dessert of bread pudding after dinner, and then they watched a movie together. Erwin tried to keep his hands to himself, but he couldn't resist putting a hand on Levi's knee once they were an hour into the film. Levi glanced down at it, but he didn't comment on the touch or scoot away. Erwin rubbed his knee slowly, and when Levi scooched a little closer to him, the alpha dared to lean in and kiss him on the cheek. Levi turned his head toward him, and Erwin closed in for another kiss—this time on the lips.

It was meant to be chaste and brief, but the moment Erwin felt the silk of his companion's parted lips against his own, he slipped his tongue between them. Levi stiffened a little, then relaxed and opened his mouth wider to give the blond greater access. Erwin deepened the kiss, thrusting far into Levi's mouth and stroking his tongue. A low rumble of desire hummed in his throat. He cupped the back of Levi's head with one hand, and he caressed the omega's neck with the fingers of the other hand.

Levi's breath quickened, and Erwin gentled the kiss just in case he was getting too aggressive. When Levi placed a hand against Erwin's chest but didn't push against it, Erwin took it as a positive sign. His fingers traced Levi's jaw, then toyed with the silver chain around his throat. His touch wandered further, slipping into the v of Levi's silk shirt. Carefully and slowly, Erwin sought out a nipple. Levi trembled when he rolled the bud gently between his thumb and forefinger. He made a sound that Erwin recognized as pleasure, and the blond repeated his touch on the other nipple.

The kiss got sloppy, and both men lost interest in the movie. Erwin could sense Levi's uncertainty as well as his lust. He wanted him, he was sure of it. The question was in whether his desire would win out over his anxiety. Determined to get relief from this consuming need, Erwin kept playing with Levi's nipples and he released Levi's mouth to kiss his neck.

"Erwin," Levi gasped when the alpha nuzzled the spot where his scent gland was located. He was tensing up, and the alpha recalled that scent marking was one of Levi's triggers. He stopped himself with difficulty, and he moved his attentions to the omega's collarbone. Levi's tension faded, but he was trembling steadily.

Erwin kept it above the waist for a while, taking his time making out with his companion. He was throbbing and breathless, aching for more. He finally slid his hand lower, and he cupped between Levi's thighs. The omega jumped a little, putting one hand over Erwin's. He didn't try to pull it away, however. Erwin squeezed and rubbed the hard package, drawing a moan from Levi.

"God, I want you," announced Erwin huskily. "I have to stop before I take it too far."

"No," panted Levi with a shake of his head. His hips canted up, pressing his bulge into Erwin's palm. "I don't want to stop."

"Are you sure?" Erwin wanted to kick himself for even asking, but he didn't want for Levi to have any regrets.

Levi squirmed away and got off the couch, and Erwin thought he'd just ruined everything by questioning the man. Instead, Levi offered his hand to Erwin. He was still breathing fast, and his pupils were wide as he stared down at the blond meaningfully.

"Are you coming, or what?"

"Not yet," answered the blond thoughtlessly, "but I'm hoping you can help me with that."

Levi wordlessly jerked his head in the direction of the hallway, a silent invitation. Erwin stood up and took his hand without another word. Levi guided him along to the master bedroom, and he stopped Erwin when the alpha started to take him into his arms upon passing through the doorway.

"Hold up," demanded Levi. He took a deep breath, stepped back and lifted his shirt off. He tossed it onto the armchair by the window, and then he pulled his boots off. It was almost a shame for him to lose the footwear, but it was the only way Levi could get his pants off. Erwin watched intently while the omega undid the button on his pants and pulled his fly down. Levi's hands were trembling, but whatever anxiety he must be feeling, he was stubbornly pushing past it.

Erwin started to salivate as Levi turned around, looked over his shoulder at him and started tugging his pants down. He saw the swell of that perfect little ass, and then Erwin caught a glimpse of the underwear he had on.

"Oh my," he heard himself remark, and then Levi turned around to face him, pushed his pants the rest of the way off and stood before him for his inspection. In his state of arousal, the skimpy black lace briefs couldn't contain all of his goods. The top of his cock peeked out over the top of the garment, and somehow that made it even sexier.

"I take it you like it?" guessed Levi with a nervous little smirk. He glanced down at himself. "Tch. They fitted better when I didn't have a boner."

"I think they fit just fine," stated Erwin. Damn, he was a vision. Erwin stepped closer to him, branding him with his hot stare. "It's perfect, Levi. So are you."

Levi's stance tensed, but he didn't recoil when the blond cupped his chin and tilted his head back. Erwin kissed him deeply, running his hands over Levi's shoulders and back. He resisted the impulse to squeeze that tempting ass, mindful not to move too fast. He guided Levi to the bed with subtle tact. Erwin climbed onto the mattress first, and he gently pulled Levi onto it with him. He urged Levi to lie down on his back, and he lay on his side next to him when he did.

"I can't get over how beautiful you are," murmured Erwin between kisses. "Please let me make you feel good, Levi. If I do anything you don't like, tell me immediately and I'll stop."

Levi licked his lips, and he nodded. His gray eyes were wider than usual. It almost made Erwin feel guilty for asking for this. His libido was through the roof though, and the alpha in him was demanding satisfaction. He focused on the non-erotic parts first, working his way to his goals with care. First he caressed Levi's shoulders and arms, then his stomach. He alternated between kissing him on the mouth and throat.

At first Levi just laid there stiffly, as if anticipating pain. As Erwin's attentions went on and his lips traveled over his body, the omega began to relax. He started reciprocating Erwin's kisses and touches, uncertainly at first, and then with greater confidence. Erwin's mouth trailed over Levi's chest, while his hands drifted lower. He burrowed a finger beneath the material of the lace underwear, tugging at it with interest. It was stretchy, so hopefully it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Nnhh," exclaimed Levi softly when Erwin brushed his thumb against the exposed tip of his arousal.

Encouraged by the sound, Erwin stroked the glans in a circular motion, drawing moisture from the slit. He smeared the fluid liberally over the tender cap, and Levi's hips began to rotate. Erwin spoke softly to Levi as he explored him, offering soothing encouragement in an attempt to keep the man calm.

"I'm going to take this off of you now," informed Erwin, "and then I'm going to undress. My pants feel uncomfortably tight now."

Levi glanced down at the evidence of Erwin's state of excitement. He swallowed, and then he boldly cupped the swell of it in his palm. He looked up at the blond as he massaged it, and he raised his hips to assist when Erwin started pulling his briefs down. Levi's erection sprang free, leaning toward his pelvis and visibly throbbing. He bent his legs to make it easier for Erwin to pull the skimpy garment off, and then he helped the alpha get his pants undone.

Erwin started undressing with more haste, finding patience more difficult to come by with each passing minute. He yanked his shirt off and threw it in a random direction, and he didn't even bother with his socks once he got his shoes off. Once he had everything except the socks off, he rested one leg across Levi's and started kissing him again. Levi's hands stroked over Erwin's chest, his palms sliding against the chest hairs. He twitched when Erwin gripped his cock again, and then his hips bucked instinctively.

"It's okay," comforted Erwin, seeing a flash of panic in the gray eyes. "Focus on me, Levi. You're perfectly safe."

Levi met his gaze, and he settled down. He slowly parted his thighs in silent invitation. It had to be difficult for him to submit to this, even if he did want it. Erwin tried not to think of what horrors Levi had been subjected to by his kidnapper. It was in the past, and Levi was with him now. Erwin would do everything possible to make it good for him, to show him that sex didn't have to be painful or debasing or shameful.

Erwin kissed his way down the nervous omega's body, and he sucked on a nipple. Levi moaned and arched his back, obviously very sensitive. Flicking his tongue against it, Erwin fondled the other nipple with his fingertips. His other hand pumped slowly between Levi's spread legs, milking his cock with skill. Levi's breath shivered on his lips and his fingers sifted through Erwin's hair.

"Shit," rasped Levi. His omega scent was getting stronger as his pleasure grew. He tossed his head and panted. His trembling increased, but now Erwin had every reason to believe it was a result of sexual excitement more than fear.

Erwin kept suckling Levi's nipples until the omega was thrusting against him restlessly and groaning his name desperately. He finally stopped, but only to put his mouth's attention elsewhere. Erwin kissed and licked all the way down Levi's body, inadvertently rubbing his groin against the smaller man's leg as he relocated. Levi sat up with shock when Erwin took his cock into his mouth and started sucking on it, and the alpha quickly grabbed Levi's nearest hand to squeeze it reassuringly.

Gasping and moaning, Levi eased back down. Erwin glanced up the length of the omega's body to watch his reactions carefully, wary of pushing it too far. Levi was staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression and parted lips. His chest heaved with his labored breaths, and he gripped Erwin's hand almost painfully.

The blond took his time, stroking with his tongue as he bobbed his head. He knew he couldn't match Levi's oral skills, but Erwin didn't let that rob him of confidence. Unless Levi was actually limber enough to have sucked himself off before, he had no reason to compare their techniques. Erwin did his very best, and by the sounds Levi was making, he wasn't doing half bad.

"Gonna come," panted Levi, his hips twitching restlessly. "Fuck...so good, blondie. Oi, why'd you stop?"

Levi was staring down at Erwin with open disappointment. He almost looked devastated, and it pricked Erwin's conscience. He wasn't trying to be cruel, though. He just wanted to prolong Levi's pleasure and give him the best orgasm possible.

"Roll over for me, love," instructed Erwin. "It's okay; I'm going to finish you off. Trust me."

Levi hesitated, and then he did as advised and rolled over onto his stomach. Erwin guided him to tuck his legs underneath him and lift his ass. Blushing, the omega did so, and he looked over his shoulder at Erwin with a blend of anticipation and uncertainty. Fully exposed for Erwin's intentions, Levi was so erotic looking that the alpha had to squeeze the base of his arousal or risk prematurely coming.

"Just a moment," breathed Erwin, his face tensing. "I'm too worked up. Damn, just look at you."

"I can't," Levi told him dryly. "You aren't going to blow your stack, are you?"

"Not on your life," promised the blond. "I just need to calm down."

He silently counted backwards from ten, and when his passion cooled enough for Erwin to think straight, he squeezed Levi's ass cheeks and spread them. He pressed both thumbs against the pucker he was aiming for, and he closed in to begin licking at it. A trickle of slick escaped, and Erwin licked it away. Levi jerked and gasped at the contact of his tongue, and he bowed his head. A shaken moan sounded from him when Erwin penetrated him shallowly, thrusting and curling his tongue inside of him. He swirled around the hole, teasing the tight flesh between thrusts.

"Mmmnh...Erwin..."

The tense exclamation was proof enough that Levi was enjoying the treatment, even if he sounded a little unsure of himself. Erwin wondered when the last time he'd been rimmed was. He doubted the animal that held Levi prisoner ever bothered. Thinking of that made anger well within Erwin, and he forcefully shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind. He reached under Levi's rotating hips to grip him, and he started stroking him off while he tongued him.

"Oh shit," panted Levi. "I...forgot what it feels like...ooohhh!"

He was coming before Erwin knew it. He tightened around the alpha's tongue, his shaft bucked in his hand and more slick spurted out onto Erwin's tongue. He swallowed, not minding the salty fluid. It wasn't as thick or potent as cum and it was rather a turn on to make Levi squirt like this.

"Mmm," purred the alpha, continuing to lick and kiss at the quivering entrance until Levi collapsed in a gasping heap. Erwin pulled back and wiped his mouth, while stroking Levi's back with his free hand. He eased a finger into him carefully, testing his readiness. He wasn't quite loose enough yet, so Erwin started pumping inside of him to stretch him some more. He bowed over the omega to whisper into his ear.

"I want to be facing you, Levi. Will you accept missionary, or would you rather ride me as you did the first time?"

Levi turned his head to look up at him. He took a moment to answer, either because he was out of breath or because he had to think about it. His breath caught as Erwin inserted a second finger into him, and he bit his lip.

"Let's...try missionary."

Erwin studied him, seeing the fear Levi was trying so hard to hide. He thought he understood. Being on his back with another man's weight on him would test Levi's fortitude, and Erwin almost reconsidered the position. Levi rolled over then, and as Erwin's fingers slipped out of him, he spread his legs and reached up for him. Staring down at the flushed face, the determined gray eyes and the parted, pouty lips, Erwin couldn't resist. He got into position on top of Levi, settling his hips between the omega's pale thighs.

Erwin reached down to position himself, nervous once more but too far gone to hold back. He nudged in with care, and Levi's brows furrowed. He squeezed Erwin's shoulders and exhaled. He tightened around the invading length for a moment, and Erwin held still until he relaxed enough to continue. Levi felt as amazing as he had the first time, and Erwin groaned with pleasure. He slid deeper in, grunting a little. He pulled back and thrust again, using a little more force.

Levi's quick gasp reached Erwin's ears, and he gazed into his eyes questioningly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. You're just so big." Levi sucked in a couple more breaths, running his hands over the blond's shoulders. "I'm okay. Just take it slow and easy."

Erwin kissed his heated cheek, and he started to move again. Levi gasped with each thrust, and he spread his legs wider and drew back his knees. The move increased penetration, and on the next thrust Levi cried out softly.

"Oh!"

Erwin hunched over and kissed him on the mouth, groaning himself with the pleasure of it. He tried not to put his full weight on Levi. It required some fine muscle control on his part, but it was worth the added fatigue. Levi nibbled his lips, taking Erwin by surprise. He returned the action with a grin, thrilled. He thrust a little bit faster, mindful to keep his angle so he'd keep stroking Levi's sweet spot.

"Ahh...ahhhh...shit, big guy," panted Levi.

A tremor shook him, and he embraced Erwin tightly. He pressed his face against the bigger man's chest, moaning and clutching at his back. He started moving his hips, gingerly at first and then with greater confidence. The tightness around Erwin eased up as Levi's body adjusted further to his size. He started licking at Erwin's throat, right over the alpha's scent glands.

"Levi," moaned Erwin when he felt the omega's teeth sink in. Did he realize what he was doing? After expressing his concern about accidental pair bonding during sex, it seemed unlikely. Erwin wasn't sure what to do, and his body was already releasing mating pheromones at an accelerated rate.

"What are you doing?" gasped Erwin when Levi started licking and sucking at the bite marks. It was like he couldn't help himself. The temptation to reciprocate and exchange scents was getting overwhelming. The omega scent was overpowering, and he feared he'd go into a rut if this kept up.

"Gotta have you," rasped the omega. He squirmed fitfully beneath him, and he cupped the back of Erwin's neck to keep him from pulling away. "Mark me back, Erwin."

The alpha slowed his thrusts and stared down at Levi with wide eyes. The desperate lust on the flushed, attractive face gave him pause. "Levi, you realize what you're asking?"

Levi bit his lip, and his eyes started to glisten with moisture. "Yeah. I want him out of me. I still feel him in the back of my mind. Didn't think that would happen after death. I...want you to drive him out of me. Make me yours. Fucking free me, damn you."

Erwin couldn't think of a response. Pair bonding with Levi wouldn't exactly _free_ him; it would merely rid him of Slater's apparently lingering influence on him, replacing it with Erwin's. In the heat of the moment, it probably wasn't a good idea. Erwin doubted he was thinking straight right now, and what would Levi do once the euphoria faded and he came back to his wits?

On the other hand, if they were bonded there would be nowhere Levi could go that Erwin couldn't find him. That was the nature of the spiritual connection between pair-bonded alphas and omegas. It served both as a means of protection and to ensure mated pairs stayed together. Nobody knew when this ancient bond first began with their types, but it still to this day compelled them.

"Erwin...you want it, don't you?" panted Levi. He bucked beneath the alpha, forcing his cock deep inside of him. They both moaned, and Levi nuzzled the bite mark on Erwin's throat. "Don't hold back. Just do it with me."

Erwin hissed, awash in lust and the powerful need to do just as Levi demanded and make him his for the rest of their lives. He loved him...wanted him... _needed_ him. He would never lose him again if he did this; at least not in the way he had before. He could still lose him if it turned out to be a mistake, though. He couldn't legally force Levi to stay with him, and if the omega decided it was in error, he could leave and Erwin could do nothing to stop him. He would be stuck in a bond with an omega he couldn't be with, longing for him until death took one of them.

"Levi, I do want it," confessed Erwin breathlessly. "I would do it in a heartbeat if it weren't so sudden."

"What does the timing have to do with it?" gasped Levi. "I'm offering myself to you. Another alpha would go for it without any questions."

"I'm not...another alpha." Erwin was having trouble maintaining control of himself. His resolve was weakening. It was a damned good thing Levi wasn't in heat, or he wouldn't have a prayer of resisting temptation. "Ask me again when we aren't in the middle of making love."

Levi made a frustrated sound, but it turned into a groan of pleasure when Erwin thrust again. He pressed his face against the alpha's chest again, saying no more about it. Hating to reject such a wonderful offer but feeling like it was the right thing to do, Erwin shifted his position so that he was sitting up between Levi's thighs with his legs tucked under him. He propped the omega's legs up against his shoulders, changing his rhythm to quick, sharp thrusts. Levi started crying out, and when Erwin gripped his cock and stroked it to full hardness, the omega's back arched.

A slew of curses spilled from Levi's mouth. Erwin fondled his balls, further adding to Levi's pleasure. He felt it building quickly, and he didn't know how much longer he could last. The pleasure crested, and Erwin jerked Levi off desperately in an effort to get him off a second time. It happened right as he came, almost synchronized. Both men shuddered and gasped in their release, and Erwin filled Levi to the hilt.

When he opened his eyes again, Erwin looked down to see Levi watching him with faint awe on his face. It occurred to him that he didn't know what he looked like when he was coming. Apparently Levi approved of his orgasm face. Erwin stayed inside of him for a few moments, and he caressed the omega's torso.

"Are you angry with me?" asked the blond when he caught his breath enough to speak.

Levi's brows pinched briefly in confusion, and then he shook his head. "About the pair-bonding? No. Not really. You could have taken advantage but you didn't."

Erwin nodded, suffering a flash of disappointment. So Levi really hadn't meant it. Erwin's suspicion had been the correct one, and he'd narrowly avoided making a huge mistake. This wasn't exactly the sort of afterglow he'd been fantasizing about, but at least Levi made it through the encounter without having a breakdown.

"I'll never violate your trust, Levi," Erwin promised. He withdrew from inside of him carefully, and he lay down beside him. Taking a gambit, Erwin rested his head on the omega's shoulder and closed his eyes. Levi didn't object, again demonstrating that he had no compunctions about cuddling after sex. He stroked Erwin's hair. It felt good, and Erwin started falling asleep with thoughts of being pair-bonded in his head.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't normally like to give myself pats on the back, but I think this is the cutest and sweetest Erwin I've ever written if I do say so. He's giving me cavities in this story. Such a gentleman! I'm used to writing him so ruthless.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yahoo! Thanks again everyone for following, giving kudos and sharing your thoughts on this story!

Levi tried to be stoic about Erwin rejecting his offer to bond with him. He knew the man was right, and Erwin's reluctance to do it while Levi was in a vulnerable state was proof of his sincerity. It hadn't been planned. In fact, Levi had been as taken by surprise by his suggestion as Erwin. He hadn't expected to feel that odd trace of Slater while in the middle of fucking another man, and it twisted him up inside. Levi had meant it in the moment. He wanted that bastard erased from his life, and bonding with another alpha of his own choosing seemed like the best way to accomplish that.

There were consequences to pair-bonding. He'd never wanted to do it for that reason, but then it got forced on him. Now forming a bond with someone else seemed to be his only recourse, but that wasn't the right reason to pursue it. Levi woke up before Erwin the next morning, and he lay there watching the man sleep for a while.

If Erwin weren't so goddamned noble, Levi would be bonded to him right now. That wasn't something he could just take back. Though he'd been completely serious in the moment, the omega now realized it would have been a mistake. He still had to put his life back together and figure out what he wanted to do with it. He was an addict, and he would be for the rest of his days, even if he never touched drugs again.

Levi got out of bed, picked up his discarded clothes and went to have a shower. Once cleaned up, he prepared a pot of coffee and checked his schedule. He had a group therapy session to go to this afternoon. Fortunately he'd made arrangements so that Mikasa could take him when Erwin's work schedule wouldn't allow it.

He sat down to eat a bowl of cereal, and he put some serious thought into what happened the night before. Ideally, becoming mated to Erwin was a perfect solution. They were more than compatible with each other, Levi knew he could have a sexual relationship with him now and Erwin was already raising his son. Levi doubted anyone would object to the match.

The real question was how to approach Erwin with his offer again, because Levi's confidence took a blow from his rejection whether the blond intended it or not.

* * *

Erwin gave Levi the time and space he needed, avoiding bringing up the subject of pair-bonding again. Erwin believed he'd lost the only chance he'd ever have to make such an arrangement. While it was upsetting to think about, he had one consolation in that he and Levi were now officially lovers. He was able to kiss him whenever he liked now, and Levi wasn't so skittish about being touched.

It took time and patience, but Erwin was confident that they could make this relationship work. His work responsibilities and Levi's recovery program schedule were the biggest challenge to spending quality time together, but he found ways to manage it. With a suspected unidentified serial killer still on the loose, the time management was a real challenge. There hadn't been any further shooting incidents related to the case, but Erwin suspected the killer was lying low for a while and would re-surface sooner or later.

As it turned out, Erwin was right. He was just about to leave work one evening when reports of another shooting came in, and this time there was a witness. Erwin gave Levi a quick call to let him know he'd be coming home late, and he drove to the scene of the crime with several other squad cars in his wake. Annie Leonhart was already on the scene when they arrived, and she was talking to a young woman by an ambulance.

Erwin approached Annie, who was busily writing down a statement. "Is this our witness?" he asked her with a nod at the civilian. The girl was a little above average in height, with brown hair and eyes. She wore a brown coat, blue jeans and some winter boots. She had a faintly panicked look on her face, and he noticed a splatter of blood on her sleeve.

"Yes sir," responded Annie. "Her name is Sasha Blouse. She was leaving the diner when she saw two men arguing near the alley. Miss Blouse, this is Chief Smith. Would you please describe for him what happened?"

Sasha turned to Erwin, and she absently wiped at her bloodied sleeve. "Well, it happened really fast. I thought they were just a couple of drunks from the bar down the street, and I've seen these things escalate before. I started calling the police to report it before it got ugly, but then the taller guy pulled a gun on the other guy and shot him right in front of me! I...I thought he was going to shoot me to when he saw me, but he took off down the alley instead."

Erwin nodded. "Do you know the victim, Miss Blouse?"

She shook her head. "No sir, I'd never seen either of them before in my life. There was...so much blood..."

Erwin sensed hysteria in her voice, and he patted her shoulder. "Deep breaths. Have the paramedics had a look at you yet?"

"Yes, I'm not hurt. It's all that guy's blood."

"Even so, I think you should go to the hospital," he suggested. "You're in shock. First I need to ask you a few more questions, however. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"I'll try," she agreed, sniffling. "I've never seen anyone shot dead b-before."

"I know this is hard on you," soothed Erwin, "so I'll try to make this brief. Do you think you could describe the gunman? Could you perhaps identify him in a lineup?"

"It was pretty dark," she answered. "He was wearing a hat, too...a derby, I think. He was tall and skinny, and he had on a trench coat. He had a rough voice and...I'm sorry. I didn't get a very good look at his face. I can tell you it was gaunt, but it was mostly cast in shadow."

Erwin absorbed this, and when Mike came up beside him, he cast a sidelong glance at him. "It sounds like a match for the description we have from the video footage."

Mike nodded in agreement. "We'll know if the bullets match up."

Erwin returned his attention to the witness. "You said they were arguing about something. Did you hear what they were saying?"

She thought about it. "Only a little bit. The man with the gun said a name, and the other guy said it wasn't his business who he dealt to."

"Dealt to?" repeated Annie. "As in drugs, or as in gambling with cards?"

"I don't know." Sasha spread her hands helplessly. "Maybe they were talking about gambling. The gunman did say something about payback just before he fired."

"I see," said Erwin. "Annie, did you write that down?"

"Yes sir," she confirmed.

"All right. Miss Blouse, is there anything else you can think of that might be of use? The name you heard the gunman mention, for example. Can you remember what it was?"

"Um, let me think." She looked off to the right, her face tensing with the effort to recall it. "It was something like Skate. Wait, that wasn't it. Slater. Yeah, that was the name he said. He was mad about the guy dealing to him."

Erwin felt his face lock up into a flat expression. "Slater," he repeated softly.

"Yes sir, I'm sure that was the name." Sasha nodded.

"Did he speak a first name?" pressed Erwin.

Sasha shook her head. "No, just 'Slater'."

"Thank you." Erwin's head was reeling, and beside him, Mike was frowning with recognition as well. "You should let the ambulance take you to the hospital now. We'll be in touch with you soon. Should we identify and apprehend this shooter, you may be required to testify in a court of law."

"Oh. Um, okay." Sasha looked at the ambulance behind her, wincing. "Do I have to ride in the ambulance? They put the body in there."

"No, of course not," assured Erwin, realizing his mistake. "Officer Leonhart will take you. Annie?"

"Yes Chief. I'll drive her," agreed Annie with only a second's hesitation.

Erwin thanked her, and he walked over to his squad car with Mike. He spoke to his companion in a low voice. "I think we can rule out the possibility that this happened over someone cheating at a card game."

"You think the shooter was talking about the same guy that kidnapped Levi?"

Erwin considered it. "It could be mere coincidence, but we know that all of the previous victims were involved in the illegal drug trade. I'm sticking with the original theory that this is drug rivalry we're looking at. Suppose this shooter once dealt with Derrick Slater, and some of his competition offered a better deal and stole his 'clientele'. If he was referring to the same person, someone's doing us a favor."

"How do you mean?" asked Mike.

"We never tracked down any accomplices in Levi's abduction," Erwin reminded him. "We couldn't detain the two suppliers we connected to it, either, and though we suspect there were more, Slater covered it up too well. If we open up the case again and manage to connect the previous victims, it could lead to other dealers that had business with Slater."

"And you want to prosecute them," guessed Mike. "I don't know, boss. It's been over a year since that case was closed. Even if we get evidence and bring people in to face charges, what good will it do for Levi?"

"I wouldn't involve Levi in the prosecution of any suspects we arrest," Erwin assured him. "He's been through enough, and he already told me that he never saw anyone besides Slater while he was trapped in that house. It wouldn't be productive to have him testify, but if I can see justice done to even one person that provided that heroin to Slater, I mean to see it done."

"I'll support you," promised Mike, "but at this rate, we'll run out of live suspects to arrest before we can even charge them."

"Then we have to make sure we bring this gunman in before he finishes the job he started," insisted Erwin. "If we can establish a pattern, we may be able to catch him before he gets to the next one. I want the latest victim's phone logs thoroughly checked, his residence searched and all of his contacts questioned."

"You got it, Chief."

* * *

Levi was having a bad night as well. He got the shakes unexpectedly after attending his group therapy and meeting some newcomers. Listening to their stories set him off, but he held it together until Mikasa dropped him off at home with Dylan. Levi managed to fix dinner for his son and put him to bed before his condition worsened to vomiting. He tried having a hot shower to ease his symptoms until Erwin came home, but he ended up on the bathroom floor with his head over the toilet.

Finally, when Erwin still hadn't come home an hour after he'd told Levi he'd be there, the omega made an emergency phone call to Hange. His voice was thick from getting sick when she answered the line, and Levi explained to her that he was having bad cravings and needed treatment. He couldn't make it into the clinic without a ride, and even if he had one, he wasn't willing to bring the baby with him.

Hange agreed to come over and give him his methadone at home, seeing as the situation was unusual. His teeth were chattering by the time he heard the front door open, followed by Hange calling out to him. She followed the sound of his voice into the bathroom, and she immediately helped him up and to the living room.

Erwin finally made it home just as Hange finished administering Levi's medication to him, and the omega winced inwardly at the look on his lover's face upon seeing the situation. He was already feeling more relaxed, and Hange had wrapped him up in a blanket to help with the chills.

"What's going on here?" Erwin demanded, taking his hat off and hurrying to the couch Levi was lounging on. He knelt before him and felt his forehead, not bothering to conceal his worry.

"Everything is fine," Hange assured the blond. "Levi here was having severe cravings, so he gave me a call. I came right over when he told me you were running late and he couldn't go anywhere."

Levi tried to reassure Erwin, now that his symptoms were easing up. He knew he looked as pale as a corpse and his hair was a mess. "Hey, I'm okay. Hange checked on Dylan just a minute ago, too."

Erwin sighed. "We're going to have to come up with a different system for your medications, I think. You need to be able to access it in emergency situations when I'm not here."

"Well, you can't leave it readily available for him," warned Hange. "I understand your concern, but even a man with Levi's willpower would be too tempted to abuse it."

"And what happens if his need for it drives him to violate the conditions of his restrictions and go seeking out the real thing?" pressed Erwin. "There has to be another solution, some way we can set it up so that if this happens again, he can get the dose he needs."

"Let me think about it," Hange pacified. "I'm sure I can come up with something. In the meantime, you'll just have to keep doing things the way you...oh, wait! I think I have an idea."

"And that is?" Levi prompted when she sat there scratching her chin.

"It's not a cheap solution," she offered, "but you could buy a special safe that can be remotely accessed through a phone application. I've been thinking of getting one myself. You'd have to remember to stock it every day of course, with no more than the required dosage if he needs it. Levi can call or text if this happens again, and you can unlock the safe from your phone app for him."

"Seems like a lot of trouble," grumbled Levi.

"I know it isn't perfect, but it's a work-around until you can get by without methadone. Otherwise, you may have to consider hiring a caregiver."

"A what?" repeated Levi in annoyance. "I get craving now and then. I'm not some geriatric that needs someone to wipe my ass for me."

"I know that, but as bad as you were when I got here, it may be something to consider. I can give you a list of qualified and trained people if you want, though the safe would probably be the more cost-effective and less violating option."

"We'll look into the safe and try that first," said Erwin with a glance at Levi. "I know you'd rather not have some stranger staying here with you."

"Damn right," sighed Levi. His eyes started to drift closed.

"Hange, thank you for taking the time out of your evening to come and treat him," Erwin said. "If you can tell me where to look for this safe you mentioned, I'll try it."

"You can order them online and pick it up from the store tomorrow," she answered. "I'll text you the website address. Levi, take it easy. You know the methadone is going to make you groggy for a few hours. Don't try to do too much until it wears off, okay?"

"Got it," he agreed lazily.

Hange left then, and she told them to call her if there was any further trouble. Once they were alone together, Erwin sat down on the edge of the couch and rubbed Levi's foot through the blanket covering him. "Can I do anything for you?"

Levi shook his head. "I'm leveled out now. I should probably just crash on the couch tonight. I don't want Dylan seeing me like this."

Erwin tilted his head. "Why would he? You've been sharing my bed for a week now, love."

"Oh. Right." Levi opened his eyes again and looked up at the alpha. "This shit doesn't usually make me so dopey. Either Hange gave me a higher dosage than usual or I wore myself out too much fighting the cravings."

"It's okay," soothed Erwin. "I'll carry you to the bedroom and take care of Dylan if he wakes up needing anything."

Levi nodded, though it was embarrassing to be fussed over so much. "What happened at work to keep you so late, anyway?"

Erwin hesitated. "We can talk about that tomorrow."

"I'm not that fried that I can't listen," insisted Levi. "What gives with the secrecy? You cheating on me or something?"

Erwin blinked at him.

"I'm kidding, idiot." Levi smirked at him in a lopsided manner.

"Oh. I didn't get that." Erwin sighed, and he started rubbing Levi's foot again. "All right, if you insist. There was another shooting tonight. We confirmed that it was the same suspect responsible for three other shootings last month."

"Shit, that's rough. Did anyone see anything this time?"

"There was one witness," said Erwin. "A young lady. She described the shooter as best she could, but it was dark and she couldn't see his face that clearly. Still, it's more to go on than we had before."

Levi nodded. "You look pretty tired."

"It's been a long day. I'll be fine with some sleep." With that said, he got up and he squatted by the couch to gather Levi up. The omega draped his arms around Erwin's neck, and he rested his head on a broad shoulder as the blond picked him up and carried him through the apartment.

"Have you eaten?" murmured Erwin after easing him down on the bed.

"Not since breakfast. I was too sick to my stomach to try after I got home."

"I see. If your stomach is settling, maybe you can keep down some soup."

"Nah." Levi waved it off, and he held his foot up when Erwin started taking his sock off. "Not hungry. I'll eat tomorrow. What about you, though?"

"I picked up a hoagie on the way home."

Erwin finished removing Levi's socks, and then he helped him out of his t-shirt and pants. Now that he had him stripped to his underwear, the blond began removing his own clothing. He looked like he wanted to say something when he got down to his boxers and climbed into bed with Levi, but then he changed his mind. Erwin turned off the light and embraced Levi, kissing him on the forehead.

"Oi, is something bothering you?" yawned Levi as he snuggled into the warm embrace.

"I'm just tired," excused Erwin. "Tomorrow I'll see about picking up that safe, and when I get home from work we'll figure out where to put it."

"Okay," mumbled Levi against Erwin's toned chest. He couldn't concentrate to pursue the matter further, and within moments he was sound asleep.

* * *

Erwin poured his effort into the serial killer case, even working on days he should have had off. He worked so hard that he came home exhausted each night, too tired to engage in lovemaking. Levi didn't give him any grief for it at first, but after the end of the first week the omega finally said something to him.

"You know next Friday is going to be my last mandatory appointment," said the omega as they bedded down for the night.

Erwin frowned at the ceiling. "Is it already coming up on the thirtieth?"

"You forgot, didn't you?" Levi slipped out of his button-up shirt, and he sat down bare-chested on the bed. He looked at Erwin with quiet contemplation, and then he spoke his thoughts without preamble. "What's going on with you? Lately it's like we're an old married couple, and we haven't been sleeping together that long."

Erwin sat up, realizing he'd been neglecting Levi worse than he'd thought. "I'm so sorry. It's this case, and now that Dylan is walking I've been preoccupied with child-proofing the apartment more."

"Then you should just leave that to me and spend your time at home relaxing," suggested Levi. "Is it just the case and the kid wearing you out, or is it me?"

"No, of course it isn't you," Erwin said immediately. "I'm as crazy about you as I ever was. I just haven't had the energy to act on it recently."

"I get that, but can you blame me for questioning it? You worked damned hard to get down my pants, and now we're going on a week without sex. Feels like you've lost interest now that you've got me. It's not just the sex, either. You've been directly involved in my recovery from the beginning. I don't expect you to know every detail about my schedule, but for you to forget my 'graduation' is pretty fucked up. You haven't asked me anything about what I plan to do once I get this tracking thing off my ankle and can work again."

Erwin rubbed his temples, angry with himself and frustrated that Levi thought he was tiring of him. "I don't know what to say, Levi. I lost track of the date, but I do have it marked on my calendar. I fully intend to go with you to fill out your exit paperwork. What _have_ you decided you want to do?"

_~Please don't say you want to move out. I couldn't take that right now.~_

"I'm thinking of getting an administration job at the clinic," answered Levi, surprising Erwin.

"Really? After the difficulties you had when you were staying at the facility, I wouldn't expect you to consider becoming one of the staff."

"Well I've thought about it, and I want to give it a try," explained Levi. "It wouldn't be the same as being an in-patient. I can leave at the end of the day and I can help other people in my situation. Granted, I have shitty social skills, but I know how to organize things and use a computer. It's worth looking into."

Erwin smiled at him. "Then I have to admire you even more. I think it's a noble thing you want to do, not to mention brave."

"Glad you approve. Now tell me why this case has you working yourself into an early grave."

Erwin grimaced. He wanted to be truthful with Levi, wanted to share what he'd discovered with him. However, in doing so he would have to bring up the past and probably upset Levi. He looked at him with a torn expression, aching inside.

"What is it?" pressed Levi. "You can't talk about it because its classified? Or do you just not trust me to tell me what's going on?"

"It's neither of those things," Erwin told him softly. "Though I'm obviously not supposed to discuss the details of a case with a civilian. That isn't why I'm hesitating, though."

When Levi raised an expectant brow, Erwin sighed. He squeezed the omega's knee, and he had to choose between the difficult choice of causing Levi pain by telling him or damaging their relationship by keeping it from him.

"All right, but this isn't going to be easy for you to hear," Erwin finally warned. "We've uncovered evidence that the serial killer we're after is deliberately targeting local narcotics dealers."

Levi frowned. "You said something like that to me already the last time we talked about this."

"Yes, but there's more. These particular dealers had a connection to Derrick Slater. The witness to the last shooting heard the killer mention Slater's name before firing on his latest victim. After extensive background checking, we learned that each one of the shooting victims in this case previously supplied Slater with heroin. When we went to apprehend him that day that we found you, we were under the belief that he himself was still dealing. He got out of the trade though, shortly before he kidnapped you. He was getting his drug supplies from these people."

Levi ogled him, going as still as a statue. He was so stiff that Erwin feared he might have just had an aneurysm.

"Levi?"

The omega slowly shook his head, his eyes betraying disbelief. "If I didn't know better, I would suspect you to be playing a sick joke."

"It's no joke, Levi." Erwin rubbed his knee and held his gaze. "I'm trying to use this information to locate other dealers that might have been connected to Slater. This shooter, for whatever reason, is taking out people that supplied him. Personally I would almost be tempted to let him finish them all off, but if there are others out there that helped supply Slater, I'm obligated to bring them to justice through the law. The problem is tracking them down before he does."

"Why the hell is he shooting them up?" demanded Levi.

"We don't know yet, but I still suspect he had dealings with Slater himself and his victims stepped on his toes."

Levi absorbed this before speaking again. "So this witness you've got. Did they get a look at this killer or what?"

"She did, but it was dark and she couldn't see many details about his appearance. The suspect is described as a tall, lanky man with a rough voice. He was wearing a long jacket and a hat when she saw him. She said he mentioned something about payback for dealing to Slater, and that's all she caught of the conversation before shots were fired."

Levi's brows drew down as if in concentration. "A tall, lanky guy. Did she see anything of his face?"

"She described what she could see of it as 'gaunt'," answered the blond. "She said his hair was a bit on the long side, according to the statement one of my officers took before I arrived."

Seeing the contemplative look on the omega's face, Erwin wondered what he'd said to inspire such an expression. "Levi? Does this sound like someone you might have seen while you were being held captive?"

Levi shook his head slowly. "No. It's nothing. I'm just shocked as fuck that your serial killer's been plugging the people that supplied that bastard with the heroin he forced on me. It feels kind of surreal."

"I'm sure it does." Erwin put a gentle arm around him. "Are you all right?"

Levi gave a little start as if nudged out of a trance. "Yeah. Just trying to wrap my head around it. Say you find someone else that dealt with Slater before this killer does. What then? Will I have to testify?"

"No, not unless you recognize them and can provide a statement of their guilt. If you've never met them or seen them yourself, I don't see the point of subjecting you to that."

Levi nodded, and his eyes focused on Erwin again. "So this is why you're working so hard. And here I've been under the impression you were avoiding me."

"No. I'm doing it for you." Erwin kissed him on the temple. "Believe me, my thoughts are always on you and I'm not losing interest in the slightest. I've just piled my plate a bit too high. Perhaps I'm letting my personal feelings push me to do more than I'm reasonably able to, but I haven't been purposely neglecting you."

Levi's gaze softened on him. "Hey, it means a lot to me that you're so determined to punish everyone that was even slightly involved in what he did to me, but...I sincerely doubt any of these drug peddlers knew what he was buying the heroin for. I can't imagine any of them asking: _'Oi, by the way, are you buying this for recreational purposes or because you've got a pet omega in your basement you plan on doping up?'_ "

"True, but they still committed a crime and whether inadvertently or not, their involvement helped him to violate you." Erwin's expression darkened. "I'm not willing to let that go."

"Are you sure _you're_ not the killer?" Levi asked dryly.

"Do I look like a tall lanky man with stringy long hair?" Erwin shot back with a faint smirk.

Levi eyeballed him up and down. "Tall yes. Lanky and un-washed, no."

Erwin rubbed his eyes, feeling them burn. He felt like he had sandpaper behind his eyelids. "Well now you know. I didn't want to tell you for obvious reasons, but now that I have, I feel better about it. I'm sorry to have to drudge up the past again."

Levi sighed, and he got up to take his pants off. "Yeah, I'm sorry too. I guess there's something to that old saying _'be careful what you ask for'_. It isn't your fault, though. You're just trying to do your job and avenge what was done to me."

He put his pants in the hamper, and then he stripped out of his underwear. That got Erwin's attention despite his exhaustion. He stared at the spectacle of Levi's nudity while the omega joined him on the bed again, and his groin immediately stirred. Levi noticed the bulge in his underwear becoming more pronounced, and he started pulling the sheets up.

"Looks like that part's working fine after all," remarked the smaller man.

Erwin also pulled the covers up, and he rolled over to face Levi. "Yes, it works just fine. I just wish I had the energy to use it. Was it a test to fully strip like that, or is the heater up too high?"

Levi stretched sensually, humming to himself. "I'll admit I wanted to see if I could get a 'rise' out of you, even if you're too wiped to do anything about it." He rolled onto his side as well, and he tucked his lower arm underneath his pillow. He reached out with his other hand to trace Erwin's pecs. "But you know, you don't have to do anything except lie there if you're getting in the mood. I've got enough energy tonight for both of us."

Erwin scooted closer, intrigued. He would have thought Levi would appreciate getting a break from his sexual appetite, but he'd come a long way with expressing his sexuality since they got together. "If you're up for it, then so am I."

Levi lifted up the sheets covering him to reveal that he was indeed up for it, already at half-mast. Erwin stared hungrily, but he didn't immediately make a move. He met the omega's eyes again. "Are you sure? After what we just talked about, I would understand if you want to take a rain check."

"I'm sure." Levi nodded. "After finding that out, I need a distraction. I've also made a decision after hearing your reasoning behind working yourself so hard."

"Oh? What's that?"

Levi bit his lip, and he got into position to straddle the blond. Once he was seated on top of Erwin, he bent over him, and he bared his neck. Levi then rubbed his wrists against the sides of Erwin's face, activating the smaller scent glands on them. Erwin breathed in deep, finding it immediately intoxicating.

"I want to do it. We're not in the middle of fucking this time and I'm clear-headed. Let's pair-bond."

Erwin stared up at him, hope and disbelief tugging at his emotions like a kite string. "You're absolutely certain? There's no going back, if we do this."

"I know. I've thought long and hard on it since the first time I asked." Levi moved in closer to present his throat. "If you're willing to put up with me, I'll give myself to you. I know I'm doing it for the right reasons now."

It was more than Erwin had expected of him. He'd been so convinced that one time was just a fluke and it would never happen again. Suddenly he was no longer tired. Levi's omega scent worked like smelling salts on him, and Erwin lifted his head off the pillow to nuzzle the other man's vulnerable throat. It wasn't necessary to draw blood, really. As long as the oils from their scent glands absorbed into the skin while they were mating, the bond would eventually form. It was faster to break the skin, however.

Erwin carefully bit down on the spot where Levi's scent was strongest; just enough to stimulate the gland and give it an outlet. Levi accepted the bite with only a soft gasp, and then he guided Erwin's hand to his backside, urging him silently to start getting him ready. Erwin licked and sucked at the bite while gently fingering the omega, fighting back a growl of primal need. Levi's body shook, and he bit Erwin's neck in turn.

"Want you," gasped Erwin, cupping the back of Levi's head with his free hand to urge him closer.

Levi rubbed his neck against Erwin's, and their scents began to intermingle. This was just the beginning. They would have to keep it up while their bodies joined, using the scent glands in the neck, the wrists and the inner thighs close to the groin. Levi's mouth claimed Erwin's after a few moments, his breath hitching with excitement and perhaps some fear.

Erwin could understand. He was a little afraid himself, as he'd never done this before. He'd read about it of course. All alphas and omegas were required to take a separate sexual education class in high school to prepare them for adulthood and prevent mistaken pair-bonding. He felt Levi opening up for him, and he guided him into place. He let the smaller male set the pace, fearful of hurting him by accident due to his alpha urges driving him.

"Hah...Erwin," whimpered Levi, slowly impaling himself on the blond's cock.

Erwin took Levi's right wrist, sniffed along it until he found the part with the strongest scent and then bit down on it. Levi hissed, grabbed up Erwin's forearm and did the same back to him. He drew blood, but Erwin didn't complain. They clasped hands and pressed their wrists together, their mouths connecting again. Levi started to move, and Erwin followed suit when he felt confident enough that Levi was relaxed enough around him.

It was intense. Their eyes locked when they weren't kissing, and Erwin started to feel the first subtle tingle he'd read about that signified the first stage of the bonding. He could feel foreign emotions that he knew had to belong to Levi, and by the way the omega's eyes rolled, he was feeling it too.

It was on the tip of Erwin's tongue to ask Levi if it was like this the first time he'd bonded, and he stopped himself before he could foolishly act on it. Because they'd already stimulated the neck and wrist glands, the scent glands near the groins began to sweat. It was almost like working the chakra centers, if one followed that sort of thing. Erwin clenched his jaw, feeling heat pooling in his pelvis and spreading to the rest of his body.

"Levi," rasped Erwin, faintly alarmed. "I'm...going into a rut."

"I can feel it," panted Levi. "It's putting me in heat, too."

Erwin had forgotten about that part of the act. If compatible, a paired couple would enter a fertility cycle during the bonding. It was nature's way of helping conception along, but they wouldn't have to worry about a pregnancy resulting from this.

One thing was for sure; Erwin wasn't going to make it to work on time tomorrow.

* * *

Levi was sore everywhere, but he was ironically content inside. It was like his soul had just taken a hot, relaxing bath. He felt cleansed, and he knew that was because of Erwin's influence. For the first time since his ordeal, Levi didn't feel his violator inside of him. There was only Erwin's warm, strong presence now, like a ray of sun shining on his spirit.

He rolled over with a pained grunt to look at the man sleeping beside him. Both of them had bite marks all over their necks, forearms and wrists. The sheets were damp from their various body fluids including a little blood, but Levi couldn't even muster up the energy to change them. He started to drift off to sleep again, but the baby monitor went off and Levi heard Dylan crying.

"Mmm?" Erwin stirred at the disturbance, blinking in disorientation. He opened his eyes, and it took him a moment to focus on Levi. He smiled sleepily at him, and then he started to sit up when Dylan cried again. "Ah, damn!"

"Yeah, we chewed and bruised each other up pretty good," Levi said. "I'll take care of him. You still need rest."

He sensed Erwin's appreciation through the link they now shared. Levi leaned over him for a kiss before dragging his battered form out of bed. He walked stiffly to retrieve his robe. Forming a pair-bond was definitely rough. He and Erwin had both gotten carried away as things progressed, and they'd probably only had about two hours of sleep. The demands of the bond were met, but Levi was still in heat. He could tell Erwin was still in a rut too. How they were going to finish meeting those demands in their current condition, he wasn't sure.

* * *

After changing, bathing and feeding Dylan, Levi woke Erwin up and told him he needed some help. Erwin opened his eyes to look up at his new mate, and he could both see and feel the exhaustion radiating from him. There was frustration too, and he could relate. They both had another day or so to cope with their mating cycle, and they couldn't just pen Dylan up and leave him unsupervised until they satisfied the persistent itch.

Fighting back a groan, the alpha got out of bed to get dressed while Levi carried the baby around the room, bouncing him lightly. Once he was decently covered, Erwin held his arms out for their son. Levi shook his head, looking him up and down.

"Shower first; you're filthy. Once you're cleaned up you can take him and I'll change our bedding...and lay down towels on it for tonight."

Erwin nodded dumbly, still groggy and aching in various places. What a wild night they'd had. They'd gone at each other like a pair of animals once the bond put them into a veritable mating frenzy. He couldn't recall ever having such intense, aggressive sex before, and he hoped he hadn't traumatized Levi at some point during it.

"I'm fine," Levi said as if reading his thoughts. He had paused at one of the bedroom windows, and the daylight slanting through the blinds cast him in a golden nimbus. Bruised and marked up though he was, Levi was a vision to behold. He gave Erwin a tired little smirk. "I gave as good as I got, and not once did I space out and forget where I was. Don't worry."

Erwin sighed with relief. For a moment, he'd thought the frustration coming from Levi might be partly caused by irritation with him. It was going to take some getting used to, this business of being able to feel one another's emotions. He went to have his shower while Levi set Dylan down and got to the business of making the bed up.

While Erwin showered, he tried to mentally calculate how much time he'd spent longing for Levi. He couldn't exactly pinpoint when it was that he started truly falling for him, but it must have been only a few months after rescuing him from that basement. What had started out as pity and compassion evolved into love before Erwin realized it. He remembered trying to kiss Levi while the omega was about midway through his pregnancy. That had to have been it; the moment when he gave his heart to the man. Otherwise Erwin would have never acted on his attraction to him.

He finally estimated that he'd been enamored with Levi for nearly two years. Now he was finally his in every way that mattered the most. It made Erwin smile to himself with happiness.

* * *

-To be continued


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone give me a job before I write myself into the grave. I wasn't supposed to post this until tomorrow but I have time on my hands.

The day came for Levi's release from his probation conditions and the dreaded tracking device on his ankle. When the thing came off, he felt like he'd just been released from chains. He rubbed his ankle immediately, noting upon inspection that he had a faint mark on the skin where it had been. He had marks everywhere now, though most of them were hardly visible any longer. Erwin had already noticed the old bite marks on his neck and wrists from when Slater forcibly pair-bonded with him. Levi sensed his consternation over it, but the blond never spoke of those phantom reminders of what Levi had endured.

Track marks, a few stretch marks, various old scars, bondage marks, bite marks and now this rough patch from where the tracking band had rubbed against his ankle. Levi felt like he'd been branded over and over again in the past couple of years, but now he was free. He could walk outside without an escort, he could go wherever he wanted and he didn't have to check in with anyone.

Well, he should probably check in with Erwin out of courtesy, he amended. It would be really shitty for him to take Dylan somewhere without telling the alpha and have Erwin come home to an empty house and no idea of where everyone was at. It was especially important to keep that in mind while Levi was still undergoing treatment, no matter how voluntary it was for him now.

The object of his thoughts leaned over as Levi sighed the last form necessary to complete his mandatory therapy. "Congratulations, Levi," whispered Erwin. "I knew you could do it."

Levi kept his expression neutral, but inside he was pleased and even a little proud of the compliment. He would have liked to tell Erwin that he couldn't have done it without him, but there were people around and Levi was godawful at expressing sentiment.

"Thanks," he whispered back instead, keeping it simple.

Erwin smiled at him, picking up on the inner feelings behind Levi's short response.

"Well done, Mr. Ackerman," stated the lady case worker as she took the paperwork. "We hope you'll continue attending group, and don't forget to contact your sponsor if you feel tempted or want advice."

Erwin glanced at Levi, and the omega spoke an explanation in a soft voice. "She means Gunther. You've met him."

"Oh."

Erwin's mouth turned down at the corners slightly. Levi tilted his head a touch, picking up on a feeling he could only describe as...

"Oi, are you jealous?"

Erwin gave a little start. "Jealous?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah. Don't be coy. I can sense it from you, blondie."

The alpha's ears turned pink, and he cast an uncomfortable look at the case worker. She also appeared uncomfortable, and she cleared her throat before standing up with the paperwork. "Um, I'll just go and file this now, gentleman. You're free to leave at any time."

Levi waited for her to leave the office, and once the door was closed he affixed his mate with a steady, curious gaze. "Let's clear the air. Gunther offered to be my sponsor before you and I became an item. He's got experience with the program. He's more or less a veteran. There's nothing sexual about any of it. He doesn't even like men."

"I...understand," Erwin said in a carefully controlled voice.

"Do you? Or are you just saying that?" Levi folded his arms over his chest almost petulantly. Damn it, just when he thought he'd found the one alpha on the planet that wasn't some knuckle-dragger.

Erwin sighed. He clasped his big hands together in his lap, and he met Levi's stare. "Levi, I know that there's nothing between you and this Gunther. Of course I know that. I don't question your loyalty to me. What confuses me is why you've never contacted this man to my knowledge if he's your sponsor. His purpose is to support you, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah." Levi shrugged, not understanding his argument. "Is that an issue for you?"

"Only because you've never used him as your lifeline. That begs the question in my mind as to why. If you have no feelings for him, why would you avoid him?"

"I...shit, is that really what's bothering you?" Levi was baffled. "You think I never call him when I'm tempted to slip because I'm attracted to him?"

Erwin grimaced. "Don't take it to mean I don't trust you. I just wonder if you don't take advantage of his sponsorship because you feel it might tempt you in a different way. I'm an alpha, Levi. We tend to be a bit...territorial despite our best efforts not to be."

"Heh. Are you shitting me?" Levi started to grin impulsively. "You think I never call him 'cause I think if we meet up again I'll want to fuck him?"

"Help me to understand it, if you find it so ridiculous for me to wonder about that."

Levi sobered at the cool, guarded expression on his alpha's face. Erwin wasn't joking, he realized. This was what it meant to be pair-bonded; every male he encountered was now viewed as a possible threat no matter how rational Erwin tried to be. Levi could have blown up over that, but seeing as he could flatly sense the depth of his mate's affection for him, he took a different path.

"Hey, that's not why I never called him." Levi reached over to take those clasped hands into his, holding Erwin's troubled blue gaze. "The truth is this: I never called Gunther Schultz because _you_ were the person I called when I was in trouble. For all his good intentions, I didn't need him as a sponsor. I had you."

Obviously mystified, Erwin blinked stupidly at him. Levi wondered how in the hell he'd failed on so many occasions to take note of how thick Erwin's lashes were, or how they lightened to gold at the tips. He really did have beautiful eyes, and seeing them gazing at him with such surprise evident in them, he wanted to crush his mouth against the alpha's.

"I really am a fool," whispered Erwin at last. His generous mouth relaxed into a smile.

"No arguments there." Levi smirked at him. "So do you feel better or what?"

Erwin gave a nod. "I do. Can you forgive me for my paranoia?"

"I'll give you a pass this time," allowed the omega. "Just keep it in mind that you're the only alpha I really trust, and you're the only person I've been with since you took me out of that basement. I get that you're possessive. Hell, if our positions were reversed I might be too. However, we're a mated pair now. Permanently. I think both of us would sense it if the other party strayed. Don't make me question whether anyone I come into contact with might set off your jealousy."

Erwin took a quiet, slow breath. He nodded, and he squeezed Levi's hands in his. "I've disappointed you. For that, I'm sorry. As I said before; I don't doubt your faithfulness. I just couldn't help but question your reasons for avoiding contact with that man, and my imagination ran away with me."

Levi accepted that. Most men in Erwin's place wouldn't have demonstrated so much grace or humility after being called out. He couldn't really be angry with Erwin, even though a part of him was stung that the alpha would even question his motives.

"I'm not going to ask you to get down on your knees and beg forgiveness. It wouldn't suit either of us. Like I said; I might've been jealous too if our roles were switched."

Erwin smiled in a faintly boyish and sheepish manner. "Then are we okay?"

"Heh. Yeah, we're good, you big idiot." Levi impulsively reached up to ruffle Erwin's hair in a brief gesture of affection, mussing up the perfectly groomed golden locks.

"Fantastic." Erwin got up from his seat, and he absently smoothed his hair back into place. "So now you're a free man again. What are you going to do first?"

Levi thought on it for a moment. He almost felt overwhelmed. It would be strange at first, being able to leave the apartment without Erwin. He could go to the movies, go shopping or go have a drink if he wanted—though he was understandably leery of the latter option after what happened the last time he was in a bar. Before he could enjoy his newfound freedom, however, there was something more important than leisure he had to do.

"I think tomorrow I'm going to check in on an old friend," murmured Levi. He got up to join Erwin. "Today I'll be content with picking up some groceries to make dinner."

"There's nowhere you'd like to go and eat?" pressed Erwin. "You don't have to cook. I'm sure your cousin would be happy to watch Dylan for a couple more hours, if you want to eat out."

"Nah, that's all right. I want to see if I can pull off a lasagna. If I screw it up, we can get something delivered. Let's go pick the brat up and get the ingredients."

Erwin agreed quietly with that, though Levi sensed his puzzlement over his disinterest in going out to do something. He wished that he could explain his plans better to the alpha, but Levi couldn't reveal everything to him until he knew for certain if his suspicions were right. Even if he confirmed that, he didn't yet know how he would use the information. Loyalty to family was still strong in his heart, and he wasn't the sort to betray blood.

* * *

The next day Levi took a cab to the far south side of town. He didn't tell Erwin exactly where he was going. The blond had the day off, so he was watching Dylan while Levi went to pay his visit. He'd offered to drive him, but Levi waved it off and made the excuse that he wanted to get used to getting around by himself. He paid the driver when they pulled up to the address, and he asked him to wait until he was inside before driving away, just in case nobody was home.

The omega looked up at the worn old house that he'd been raised in. A rush of memories struck him, mostly bad but some good. The paint was peeling worse than he remembered, the wooden stairs leading up to the porch and front door were cracked and rotting.

"Tch. He hasn't done jack shit with the place since I left," grumbled Levi. Once upon a time, it had been a rather charming place. That was back when his mother was still alive. Once she passed away, her brother Kenny came to live there by her request. Levi was still a boy and thus couldn't live on his own.

It hadn't been the ideal uncle/nephew relationship from the start. Kenny liked his booze, he liked to gamble and he liked trashy women. He'd made it clear to Levi from the start that he was only there because Kuchel begged him, said that Levi needed family in his life and there was nobody else to take up the responsibility. Kenny was a volatile man to grow up with. He'd stricken Levi more than once when they argued, but he also taught him how to fight for himself.

All in all, Levi supposed it could have been worse. He could have been displaced and sent to live with some strangers, forced to go to a different school where he didn't know anyone. Kenny wasn't the ideal guardian, but at least Levi got to finish high school in his own district and didn't have to hop from one place to the next.

Shaking off the less pleasant memories of his time in this house, Levi approached the door and tried the bell. He didn't hear it ring, so he opened the screen door to knock firmly on the door behind it. He stood there for several moments and he thought this was going to be a wasted trip, but then he heard that familiar, rough voice from his past call out.

"Who's there?"

"I'll give you three guesses, old snake," called Levi back.

"Shit, is that you brat?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Who else? Are you gonna answer the door or not?"

The door opened, and Kenny's gaunt, scruffy face peered out at him. His head was bare of his hat for once, and his hair was damp. "Well, I'll be damned," he exclaimed with a toothy grin, looking the smaller male up and down. "Never thought I'd see you back in town again. Did things not work out in Trost, or are ya just visiting for a while."

Levi regarded him with faint suspicion. "Don't play dumb. You had to know I've been back in town for over a year."

Kenny scratched the stubbly beard growth on his jaw. "I heard some rumors, yeah. Since ya never touched bases with me and the number I had wasn't working, I figured that was all they were; rumors. Come on in, kid. Tell your old uncle what you've been up to."

Levi waved at the cab driver to signal him that it was all right for him to leave, and he joined Kenny inside. He looked around at the place, finding most everything to be exactly as he remembered it. The furniture was a little dusty, but all in all it was tidy enough. He spotted Kenny's pistol sitting on the side table near the front door, and he raised a brow at the lanky alpha.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

Kenny glanced at the firearm, and he shrugged. He rolled up the sleeves of his gray button-up shirt, and he picked up the gun to put it away in its case. "Neighborhood's gotten a little rougher since you lived here. It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side."

Levi nodded. "Right. Safe. I'm sure that's the only reason you still carry."

"Don't give me grief," warned Kenny. "Have a sit down. You want something to drink? I've only got beer and water."

"I'll pass." Levi chose to sit down on the antique arm chair positioned diagonally from the couch. It had always been his favorite chair, and it was as comfortable as he remembered it. The red upholstery was more worn, but otherwise it was in decent condition. "I don't plan to make this a very long visit. I've got some things to ask you."

"Yeah, I've got some things to ask you too," answered Kenny. "Hold up while I get myself a brew, and then we can talk."

Levi sat patiently while Kenny went to fetch himself a beer. After a little while, the alpha returned to the living room and sat down on the couch. He sipped from his bottle and he eyed Levi appraisingly.

"Looks like you dropped all the baby weight. You were a little pudgy around the middle the last time you came calling."

Levi doubted that very much, but maybe Kenny was right. That time period in his life was kind of a blur. "If you say so."

"What happened?" pressed Kenny. "I thought you were determined to get the hell out of this city and get a fresh start."

"That didn't work out," admitted Levi. "I fell back into the habit. Got in trouble with the law and came back here to go through rehab because I didn't have a support network in Trost."

"Hmm, no shit." Kenny narrowed his eyes at him. "So what happened to the brat? Is he still with his dad or what?"

Levi nodded. He'd been very careful about how much he told Kenny when he went to him for aid to cover his tracks and change his identity. "Yes, and I'm living with him too."

"Oh yeah? That's unexpected. I thought for sure you were resolved to dump him and forget you ever had him."

Levi's jaw tightened ever so slightly. "It wasn't that simple. I grew up without a father in my life. I wanted to try and do better by Dylan. Had to get my shit straightened out first, though."

Kenny chuckled and shook his head. "You always were too responsible for your own good, shrimp. So how's the great nephew doing, anyway? I don't even know what he looks like."

"You could have gone to see him at any time," Levi pointed out. "That isn't your style though, is it?"

Kenny spread his hands. "I'm just asking. Oi, why would I try to contact the chief of police to spend quality time with the kid when his own birther ran off on him? I've never won any awards for being uncle of the year."

"That's an understatement," snorted Levi, trying not to let Kenny's words about his abandonment sting him. He sighed, and he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket to open up the photo app. He found the latest picture he'd taken of his son, and he showed it to the older male. "That's him. He's just started walking. He's been trying to talk, but he hasn't got the hang of that yet."

Kenny examined the picture. "Damn, he looks just like you did at that age."

Levi cocked his head. "How the hell would you know? You never came around until after Mom died and by then, I was in middle school."

"Kuchel sent me photos of you, idiot," scolded Kenny. "Just 'cause I didn't come all the way here for the holidays every year doesn't mean I didn't keep tabs on you two. I'm not completely oblivious to what's going on with my family, you know."

There was a sharp glint in Kenny's eye as he said the last part, and Levi could sense a hidden meaning in his words. Suspicious again, Levi chose not to comment on it and ask Kenny what the hell he was implying. "Mom never told me she sent pictures. I know she sent Christmas cards every year and wrote you now and then, but that's the extent of it."

"We wrote each other every month," informed Kenny, "and I called her a few times a year. I'd have called to check in on you while you were gone if you'd bothered to give me a working fucking telephone number."

Levi frowned at him. "What, you're pissed that the nephew you got 'saddled with' didn't call you for chats? Since when do you want to talk to me or know how I'm doing?"

"You make it sound like I don't care at all. That ain't true. I care about you in my own way, brat. I'm just not lovey-dovey about it." Kenny shrugged. "Guess I can't blame you for not calling, though. It was pretty clear you wanted to erase your old life. Too bad it still caught up with you."

"Yeah, too bad." Levi kept his cool, though his suspicion that Kenny knew more than he was saying got stronger. "Anyway, I'm with Erwin now. We're raising Dylan together, and I'm clean. I wanted to come tell you that, at least. I've also got some things to ask you, like I said."

"Good for you on kicking the habit," approved Kenny. "Not everyone can do that, even if they got into it of their own free will."

A jolt of alarm went through Levi. He didn't allow it to show on his face. "Well, not everyone has the incentive I did to make it happen."

"And not everyone got into the habit 'cause they were kidnapped and doped up," Kenny pointed out.

That was it. Now the cards were on the table, and Kenny wasn't bothering to try and conceal the fact that somehow, he'd figured out the truth about what happened to Levi.

"You spoke to Mikasa," guessed Levi stonily. Damn it, he'd been counting on his cousin to be discreet, and he couldn't understand why she would contact Kenny when she had even less to do with the man than Levi did.

Kenny shook his head. "Nope. That girl and I don't speak."

"Then how—"

"You really think I bought that story you fed me?" interrupted Kenny with a sharp stare. "I wasn't born yesterday, brat. I knew you didn't just fall in with a bad crowd and start using just to experiment. You might have been a little shit growing up, but you were never one to cave under peer pressure. Shit, I never even caught you smoking a joint or sneaking alcohol. For a little rebel, you were probably the cleanest teenager in your school."

Levi stared at him. This was quite possibly the first time Kenny had ever paid him a compliment. "Then how did you find out? Only a select few people know what really happened. On that note, just how much do you know...or _think_ you know?"

"I did some research after ya left," explained Kenny. "You know I've got connections. Wasn't easy to do, but I dug up the truth months ago. Found out you were never in that hospital you said you woke up in. That led me to weaning information from your old coworkers, and one of 'em said the night you vanished, you left with a guy that was a regular at your bar. I did some more digging and found out his name, then I found out he was shot to death in a police raid gone bad."

Kenny withdrew a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, and he shook one out of the pack before lighting it. Blowing a smoke ring in Levi's general direction, he went on. "Once I had his name, it got easier. I hired a hacker to get into the local police files and found out you were in that guy's basement when they tried to arrest him. Found out you got admitted to the local hospital to get treated for drug withdrawals and assault. It didn't take a genius to figure out what that shit stain was doing to you while he had his paws on you."

Levi averted his gaze, feeling the warmth drain out of his face. His hands felt like ice, and that familiar, nagging urge to shoot up started welling up inside of him. He wanted a fucking fix. The peace it brought to him was the only thing that helped when the trauma of his experience reared its ugly head. Damn his uncle for doing this to him. Damn him for being so crass about it, and damn him for triggering Levi's cravings.

"Things were done," admitted Levi softly. "It's over now. I'm just trying to get my life back and move on."

His brows pinched as it dawned on him that Kenny's story lent credence to Levi's unsavory theory. He looked at his uncle, thinking of the description Erwin gave him of the serial killer. Kenny had killed before. It had been in self-defense, but Levi knew the man had it in him.

"Hey Kenny, have you heard about the serial shootings that have been going on?"

Kenny took another drag of his cigarette, and he nodded. "Of course I have. It's been all over the news."

Levi held his gaze. "Erwin thinks the killer is someone with a personal score to settle with the victims. They were all dealers. He thinks the shootings are being done by another dealer that either got ripped off or didn't want the competition in his territory."

"Oh yeah? What gives him that idea?"

Levi shrugged. "Can you think of a better reason why the guy is only targeting drug dealers? Why he's going after these _specific_ dealers, who all had the same clientele?"

Kenny sipped his beer, smacked his lips and leaned back. "I'm not saying I know anything about this, but if I were to make a guess, someone thinks those scum should pay for ruining the life of someone they know."

Levi's stomach did a flip. He stood up slowly as Kenny watched, cool as a cucumber except for the calculating, hostile look in his pale eyes.

"Jesus, Kenny."

"What?" The alpha's tone was casual, as if they were discussing the weather. "The shit bags probably dealt to the wrong person. Probably fucked some kid up with their drugs and now they're getting what was coming to them. Maybe this killer ain't the bad guy. Maybe he's just making sure they can't do it to someone else. Is that so wrong?"

Levi trembled. There was a certain cold logic to what his uncle was saying, and Kenny wasn't exactly making a confession.

"It's fucking murder," Levi stated, having no other rebuttal. "It's not like beating the shit out of someone to teach them a lesson. It's permanent, and there's no going back from it. Those people that got shot might be scum, but they were still people, probably with families and struggles of their own. They just sell the shit they peddle. They aren't responsible for what people do with it."

"Sure they are," countered Kenny with a scowl. "Did you shit your brains out with that kid when you had him? Drug dealers know damned well their substances can damage or even kill people. They make their living off human misery, and they don't care if some kid overdoses or has to spend the rest of his life as an addict. Don't act like they're innocent lambs, boy."

"You think that justifies shooting them in cold blood?" Levi challenged. "What about drunk drivers? They can injure or kill someone when they get behind the wheel. Why not kill them off, too? How about loan sharks? They know the people they deal with are gonna be stuck in debt to them, maybe for the rest of their lives? Blow their brains out too. For that matter, why not take out all the lawyers? They earn their keep by suing people into bankruptcy. Hey, bankers too. They run people out of their homes all the time, and don't forget about casino operators, while we're on the subject of making a buck off human misery."

Kenny's expression hardened. "You know, you sound just like your mother."

"I'm glad one of us does," Levi shot back. "Someone's got to point out the glaring flaws in your philosophy."

"Oi, sometimes the fucking law fails people," defended Kenny. "Vigilante justice ain't pretty, but it gets things done when nothing else will."

"Unbelievable," gritted Levi. He knew this wasn't just speculation on Kenny's part, no matter how it might sound to others' ears. He knew his uncle, and even though the man wasn't saying it in so many words, there was no doubt in Levi's mind that he'd just admitted to being the killer. Now Levi was going to have to decide what to do, and none of his options were easy. He could betray his uncle and turn him in with no guarantee of prosecution sticking, or he could do nothing and live with the knowledge that his silence helped someone get away with murder.

If someone had asked Levi why he cared so much for the lives of people that allegedly helped put him into this mess, he would have explained that he didn't really give a damn about them. What Levi cared about was his own integrity. His decision not to abort Dylan had been born of the same principle. Levi didn't want to fight monsters by becoming one himself. What constituted a "monster" was fairly subjective, but Levi had set his own personal moral compass and killing people happened to be at the top of his list of things not to do. The one exception he thought he could have made to that rule was Derrick Slater, but Erwin took care of that for him.

Kenny seemed to know he had Levi cornered, and he offered one last statement. "Hey, I'm not saying any of that's why these shootings happened. I'm just saying if it is, some people might thank the shooter. I guess we'll never know."

"Unless the killer gets caught," suggested Levi. His ears were ringing. He needed to get some fresh air.

"True, but first they've gotta find him." Kenny smirked, but his expression sobered immediately. "My advice to you is not to dwell on it. You're looking pale, and you shouldn't get so worked up over the fate of a few sleaze balls. Why don't you sit down and I'll get you a glass of water?"

Levi shook his head. "I have to go."

He turned and started for the door. Kenny got up and followed him.

"Levi."

The omega turned around to look up at his uncle. "What?"

"If you were thinking of sharing this theory of mine with someone, make sure they hear it loud and clear. Wouldn't want someone getting the wrong idea, right? Oh and uh, you might want to leave out the part of the conversation where we talked about what happened to you. I know you don't want that getting spread around."

Levi nearly touched the spot where he'd taped the wire to himself under his sweater. He refrained, refusing to panic. Kenny could just be guessing. He couldn't have seen the device and it wasn't like he'd patted Levi down when he showed up.

"Whatever," Levi said flatly. "See you around."

"Hey, I'll send some money to that kid of yours for his birthday, now that I know you're back and raising him. Maybe sometime I can come over and he'll get to meet his ol' Uncle Kenny."

"I think he's better off not knowing you," Levi told him coldly. "Don't hold your breath."

* * *

"Okay Dylan, show me what the cow says."

The child looked down at the learning toy on the floor, and he chewed his fingers uncertainly. He reached out and turned the plastic arrow, and he almost stopped on the picture of the horse, but then changed his mind and pointed it at the cow. He pulled the string, and the sound of mooing came out of the speaker.

Erwin smiled and patted his son's head. "Very good. You've gotten every one of them right."

Dylan smiled back with childish pride, and then he held his arms out demandingly.

"Oh, you want cuddles as your reward," guessed Erwin.

He picked up the baby, put him in his lap and snuggled him against his chest. In some ways he was so much like Levi, but in others he was very different. Maybe at some point in his life, Levi had smiled so readily. If he had, it must have been before his childhood got so rough, before his mother died and left him a veritable orphan. Erwin didn't know very much about that part of Levi's past. The omega had told him his mother was a gentle woman with a beautiful voice, and Erwin had seen pictures of her. As for how Levi was raised after her passing, he'd been fairly tight-lipped about it.

Erwin's phone started to ring, and he shifted Dylan in his arms to get up off the floor and retrieve it. Seeing the time on the screen, he frowned. His frown deepened when he saw that it was an unknown number calling. He put it to his ear, suspecting it was either a wrong number or someone trying to sell him something.

"This is Erwin Smith," he said into the phone.

"Chief Smith, hi," greeted a vaguely familiar male voice. "It's Gunther. Gunther Schultz from Levi's group. Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I remember you." Erwin's brows hedged with surprise, and the hair at the nape of his neck started to rise. He'd been feeling this odd sense of dread tickling the back of his mind for the last few hours, and now he was beginning to realize it might be coming from Levi. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here at the clinic with Levi," answered the other man. "Is there any way you can get over here?"

"What happened?" Erwin demanded. He hadn't considered that the "old friend" Levi went to visit might be this guy. He didn't think they'd known each other for long enough to fall under that category.

"Everything is okay," assured Gunther. "Levi called me earlier to come and pick him up. He was feeling tempted and since I'm his sponsor, he rang me for help."

Erwin was torn between worry, confusion and a bit of jealousy. Just the night before, Levi had told him he never called Gunther when he needed someone because he didn't feel like he needed to because he had Erwin. Now he'd suddenly changed his mind?

"I don't understand why he didn't call me himself," he admitted softly.

"I'm not sure," came Gunther's reply. "This is the first time he's ever used me as a lifeline, so maybe he couldn't reach you. Anyway, he's in treatment now and I figured you would want to know, so I asked administration for your number."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," vowed Erwin. "If he's conscious, please tell him that I'm on my way and to just stay calm."

"I sure will. Sorry to spring this on you."

"It's all right. I'm glad you called me. Thank you for looking after him."

Erwin hung up without further ceremony, and he searched his contacts list for the daycare center. He made an emergency appointment to bring Dylan in, since small children weren't allowed inside the rehab facility. With that done, Erwin put the child in his playpen and he hastily packed his diaper bag with essentials, and he made sure to get his stuffed panda to take with him. Once he was sure he had everything Dylan might need while at daycare, Erwin picked the boy up again and hung the diaper bag over his shoulder.

"All right, I'm going to go and get your papa," Erwin told the child. "You'll be spending a little time with Miss Petra this afternoon."

"Baba," said Dylan, looking around as if expecting Levi to materialize before him.

"You'll see him later on," promised Erwin. He carried Dylan out the door, locked it behind them and sought out his car keys. The question of why Levi chose not to call him would have to wait.

* * *

When Levi opened his eyes again, it was to the sight of Erwin sitting in the reclining chair beside his bed. It took him a moment to banish his confusion and recall where he was. He tried to speak, found his voice to be raspy and cleared his throat.

"Hey."

Erwin was looking out the window, and he turned his head to regard Levi after hearing his greeting. The blue eyes were contemplative but sympathetic on him. "Hi. I was beginning to wonder if you would have to stay the night here."

Levi tried to sit up, but he was too groggy to do more than look around. "What time is it?"

"It's almost five. You've been out since I got here two hours ago."

"Shit," sighed Levi. Now his entire sleep schedule was going to suffer. "Where's Dylan? With Mikasa?"

"No, I didn't want to call them out of the blue with a request to watch him for us. I remembered Eren telling me that they had plans for today, so I took Dylan to daycare instead."

"Oh." Levi frowned. "I thought they weren't open on weekends."

"Don't you remember? They hired that young lady to work on Saturday and Sunday, so they've changed it to seven days a week."

"Ah, right. Petra, wasn't it?" Levi rubbed his forehead. "These meds make me forgetful, I guess."

"It's all right. She was very kind about it when I called and told her we needed short notice care for him. Apparently that happens a lot with parents."

"I'll bet." Levi was picking up on some emotion from Erwin that he couldn't immediately identify, because it made no sense to him. Erwin was hurt for some reason. Maybe even feeling betrayed. In his current state of mind, Levi couldn't figure it out.

"You mad at me for something?" the omega finally asked. Maybe he was pissed that Levi had to seek treatment again. It probably got old after a while, though Erwin had been so patient and understanding with him.

The alpha dropped his gaze, and he shrugged a little. "I wouldn't say I'm mad. I'm just trying to understand why I got a call from your sponsor, rather than you. I thought I was the only one you said you needed."

Levi then remembered how he'd gotten to the clinic and why. He sighed and closed his eyes. So that was it. Erwin was upset because he felt snubbed. Levi couldn't tell him why he'd called Gunther instead of him...not yet, anyway. Erwin would have had to pick him up from his uncle's place, and Levi wasn't prepared for all the questions that would surely follow. He'd never introduced them, he'd expressed an aversion to being around Kenny and Erwin would always think of him as the man that helped Levi run away and disappear for a year. That bred resentment, and Levi didn't know what Erwin might do once he found out Kenny was his killer at large.

"I panicked," excused Levi truthfully enough. "Started having cravings when I left my friend's place, and I know too many places around that neighborhood to score a fix. Gunther's name came up alphabetically before yours on my contacts list, so I just called it and told him to come get me before I did anything stupid. By the time I got here I was in full blown withdrawals. It was bad. I just wanted it to stop, and when it's like that..."

Levi bit his lip, ashamed. "When it's like that," he continued, "all you can think about is getting some relief. Druggies are selfish like that."

"Don't call yourself that," Erwin admonished. "You did the right thing, Levi. At least it was a matter of name order and not mistrust. That eases my concerns."

Levi grimaced. He hated to lie to Erwin, even though he was technically just avoiding telling him the whole truth. He would have liked to let him know that he really was the first person he'd thought of, but he'd changed his mind because of how complicated the circumstances were. He couldn't inform him of that, however. It would just raise questions and Levi was in no condition to navigate his way through that.

"You don't need to feel bad," soothed Erwin, obviously detecting Levi's quiet remorse. He got out of the chair and went to Levi's bedside, and he stroked the omega's hair. "I don't know what it's like for you when this sort of thing happens, even with the bond between us. All I knew was that I started feeling suddenly anxious, and I foolishly blamed it on my own feelings of protectiveness for you. I thought it was all in my head because today was the first time you've gone out anywhere without me at your side. I assumed I was just being paranoid. It didn't occur to me that I might actually be experiencing your own anxiety from the withdrawals."

"Guess it's a work in progress to get used to the pair-bond," reasoned Levi. "Shit, I didn't think about you feeling my cravings when I decided to bond with you. As if I'm not already enough of a pain in your ass."

The blond chuckled and shook his head. "No, Levi. You aren't a pain in my ass, and what I picked up on from you wasn't so strong as to be crippling. I think it's the nature of the pair-bond to allow us to subtly feel each other, but not so intrusively that it could drive us mad."

"I guess so." That observation made Levi feel better. He agreed it was subtle, but he'd convinced himself that was because he was damaged and had trouble connecting to people. Knowing it was just as subtle for Erwin not only eased his concern that something else was broken inside him, it also reassured Levi that some of his feelings were still relatively private. If he still had to guess what Erwin was thinking, then it was a safe bet the blond had to do the same with him.

"Let me know when you think you're ready to leave here," Erwin told him, "or if you think you may need to stay overnight, I can come back for you in the morning. Whatever you think is best."

"I don't want to stay in this place overnight," Levi said. "I might need your help walking, but I want to go home."

* * *

That night, Erwin didn't try to initiate sex with Levi. He knew the methadone treatment would keep Levi in a lethargic state and impede his coherency for the night and most of the next morning. As he helped the omega undress for bed, he was confused and surprised to find the recording device taped to his torso. He went still and stared down at it. Levi was half asleep, but he stirred and opened his eyes when Erwin spoke up.

"Levi, what is this?"

Levi peered blearily down at his bared torso. His lips parted, and he met Erwin's gaze with a wary expression. "It's...a wire."

"I know what it is," Erwin said patiently. He even recognized it as one of his own from his supply of law enforcement implements. "I mean what is it doing on you?"

"Uh..." That was all Levi said, and Erwin sensed dull panic through their bond.

"Is there something else going on that you haven't told me yet?" persisted Erwin. "Something that could get you into trouble?"

Levi sighed, and he turned his head to look away. "Shit."

Erwin didn't wait to hear what, if anything, Levi was going to say in explanation. His patience did have limits; especially when it came to things that might put his omega in danger that could be avoided. He carefully pulled the tape free to collect the device, and he pushed Levi's hands away when the smaller man tried to stop him.

"Enough," said Erwin sternly. "If you won't tell me, I'll get the answer myself."

He felt Levi's anxiety climb, and he took his hands off of him with the realization that he was manhandling him too much. He looked into the widening gray eyes, and Erwin checked the device. It had one recording on it. He started to play it, turning the volume up so that he could hear it clearly. Erwin had to consciously mask his expression so that he wasn't frowning so hard at his mate. He listened to the audio data, and his frown returned when he heard Levi talking to someone whose voice he didn't recognize.

"Who is this on this recording?" Erwin asked him in an authoritative voice. He deliberately gentled his tone, relying on his negotiation skills to try and ease Levi's tension. "Just tell me, love. I'm not angry; I just want to know what's going on."

"Just listen," Levi finally said, giving up on his un-coordinated attempts to pry the device out of Erwin's hands. "I...can't concentrate to explain it all."

Erwin drew a deep breath, and he did as Levi suggested. Whatever this was about, it obviously had his partner upset. As the conversation went on, Erwin's question about the identity of the other man was answered. He still had no idea what in the hell was going on, but he kept listening all the way through, until the end.

Erwin put the wire down, mentally reviewing everything he'd just heard. "I don't understand," he admitted. "Obviously you visited your uncle today, but why did you filch my wire and record your conversation? Has he threatened you in some way?"

"No." Levi tried to sit up, and Erwin helped him. He combed his fingers through his hair, not looking directly at the blond as he gathered his thoughts. "When you told me the victims of those serial killings were all connected to each other and Slater through their drug dealing, I didn't know what to think. Then you told me you had an eye witness to the last shooting. When you told me the description of the guy, I got a crazy fucking thought. I went there hoping I was wrong, but..."

Levi gestured at the recording device. "There's the proof."

Erwin looked down at the object again. "You're saying that you think your uncle Kenny is the one that shot those people?"

"You heard it yourself," Levi reasoned. "I also saw his face. He might not have come right out and said it, but read between the lines. He tracked them all down and he's too fucking sly to outright admit it was him. He wanted me to know, though."

"What could he have hoped to gain by telling you this, if it really is a coded confession?"

"Maybe the satisfaction of bragging about it." Levi shrugged bonelessly. "Or maybe this is his twisted way of showing family loyalty. Mom told me once that Kenny went after my father and beat the hell out of him for abandoning us. He's got a fucked up sense of standards, but in his mind he probably thinks he was doing me a favor."

Erwin's expression darkened. Kenny was the same man that orchestrated Levi's disappearance. If not for him, Erwin might have tracked Levi down and helped him before his circumstances led to an overdose and illegal substance use charges.

"Did he give you any names at any point during your visit?" asked the blond, carefully controlling his temper. "Any indication that he had another victim lined up?"

"No." Levi shook his head. "I didn't think to ask, either. I think he knew I was wearing a wire, or else he was just giving me a warning not to go to the police with this. The whole conversation triggered me, so I got out of there, went down the block and called Gunther."

"So _that's_ why you called him for help," Erwin realized. "You didn't want me knowing about this. You're trying to protect your uncle."

"I don't know what the hell I'm trying to do," Levi sighed. "I just knew I wasn't in a state to explain what happened to you. Don't even know if any of that conversation would hold up in court."

"It isn't likely," agreed Erwin. "It all sounds like someone cheering on a vigilante, not a confession."

"Exactly." Levi plopped back down on his back, and he covered his eyes with the back of his forearm to shield them from the overhead light. "Don't know what to do. Thought I was gonna puke right then and there."

"Don't think about it right now," advised Erwin, gentling his voice. He used the dimmer on the remote for the overhead fan and light, softening the glow from it for Levi's sake. "When you're feeling better, we can discuss it more. In the meantime, I'm going to have to turn this recording in as possible evidence."

Levi pulled his arm off his eyes and looked up at Erwin with a frown. "What happens after that?"

"We'll need to send someone to ask him some questions. I can't arrest him yet without any proof, and we would need a warrant to search his home. Were there any firearms on the premises?"

Levi hesitated for only a second before nodding. "He's got a gun, yeah. He used to have a rifle too, but I don't know if he's still got that or not."

"Can you tell me what sort of gun?"

"I think it's a .38. I'm more of a knife guy, so I might be wrong."

Erwin nodded. If Levi was correct, then Kenny was using the same caliber gun that killed the victims. "All right. Do you think it's at all possible that he was just stating his opinion on the serial killings and you perhaps read too much into it?"

"Like I told you, I saw his face. I know how Kenny operates. If he was bluffing, he was doing a damned good job of it. Kenny's an asshole but he's got no reason to fuck with my head over this."

"Then we have to assume he's a potential suspect," sighed Erwin. "I'm sorry, Levi. I know this is hard on you, even if you aren't close to your uncle. You're a very loyal person."

"If he did it, he's got some kind of plan to skirt the law," predicted Levi tiredly. "I can't think about it anymore. Feels like my brain's going to mush."

Understanding his angst, Erwin helped Levi finish undressing. He left the omega's briefs on and he covered him up. Bending over, he kissed Levi softly on the lips.

"I'll be right back after I check on Dylan," promised Erwin. "Just get some sleep."

Levi nodded, shutting his eyes. Erwin got up and he turned the lights off before opening the door. He glanced back at his companion as the light from the hallway beamed in. Levi already appeared to be asleep, worn out both from the shock he'd experienced and the withdrawals he'd gone through. If only Erwin could rule this out as a simple misunderstanding and clear Kenny Ackerman of suspicion, if only for Levi's peace of mind.

He couldn't do that, though. It was his sworn duty to bring Levi's uncle in if any evidence was found against him, and he couldn't simply wish the problem away.

* * *

-To be continued


	14. Chapter 14

"You look a little rough, sir," Nanaba observed when Erwin went into work on Monday. "Tough weekend?"

"You could say that." Erwin set down the recording device Levi had used on Saturday. "This may contain evidence on the serial killings. We may have a suspect, but it's sketchy at best."

Nanaba's eyes widened, and Mike stopped sipping his coffee to look at the chief. "What's the source, Chief?"

"A conversation that happened between Levi and his uncle over the weekend. Apparently, Kenny Ackerman alluded that he's responsible for the shootings. You can both listen to it yourselves and share your thoughts with me on it."

Nanaba immediately picked up the device and started to play the recording. Mike listened attentively as well, frowning in thought now and then. When it finished, they both looked to Erwin.

"Well?" he prompted, less patient than usual due to a sleepless night of listening to that thing over and over again. "Is he implicating himself, or is he just talking out of his ass?"

"It's hard to say," grunted Mike.

"It sounds like Levi lead him into that," mused Nanaba. "If his uncle is our killer and he wanted Levi to know about it, wouldn't he have been the one to bring up the subject first?"

"Not necessarily." Erwin stared at the device, his gaze going blank as he again reviewed the entire discussion. "Kenny was throwing hints from the beginning that he knew what really happened to Levi the first time he went missing. It seems to me that he was trying to give him a chance to come clean and say it himself. When he didn't, Kenny got agitated enough to come right out with it. You can practically hear the satisfaction in his voice when Levi brings up the shootings and they start talking about it. This is a man that thinks justice was served to those deserving of punishment."

"But whether that means he really pulled the trigger himself, we can't determine from this recording," Nanaba said.

Erwin nodded. "Just so. I want him investigated and watched. I want someone to bring him in for questioning, and we'll observe his reaction when that recording is played for him. Maybe he'll crack if he's guilty, but I wouldn't count on it. Everything Levi has told me about this man suggests he's a sociopath, whether he's guilty or not."

Nanaba frowned. "Boss, far be it from me to hesitate to investigate a suspect, but doesn't this pose a risk to Levi? If his uncle is really our killer and he knows it was Levi that alerted authorities, he may pose a danger to him."

"Your son too," Mike pointed out seriously. "We can't arrest him based just on this conversation. If he's as dangerous as you think and he walks, he might go after Levi for payback and Dylan for leverage."

"I've already considered that," answered the chief. In fact, Levi and Dylan's safety were the primary concerns on his mind. "It seems our friend Kenny is quite resourceful and he has connections. I wouldn't want to treat this carelessly. I may consider putting Levi under a witness protection program until we've either cleared his uncle of suspicion or incarcerated him for murder. I'm counting on one thing, though."

"What's that?" asked Nanaba.

Erwin looked up from the recording device, and he paced around his desk. "If Ackerman is guilty of this, he was willing to hunt down and kill the people that helped provide Levi's kidnapper with the drugs he forced on him. However misguided his intentions might be, he cares enough for Levi to kill those who wronged him, no matter how unintentionally. He surely would have killed Slater too, if he'd found out what was happening in time to get to him."

"That's all on the assumption that Kenny won't decide to turn on Levi if he thinks his testimony could put him away," Nanaba offered grimly. "The man didn't strike me as someone with much of a conscience, based on what we just listened to."

"No, but people have layers." Erwin rubbed his tired eyes and fought back a yawn. "See to it this evidence is safely secured, and have officers sent to the address I'm going to give you. We need to find out Kenny's place of work if he's employed. Any information we can get. I'll work on procuring a search warrant."

"If we bring him in for questioning, we give him a head's up that he's under investigation." Mike warned. "He could try to run before we get that warrant, or dispose of any evidence we could find."

Erwin sighed. "Right. Damn it, I'm not operating at full capacity. All right, have him discreetly monitored for now as best as you can. We'll wait to question him until I get my hands on that search warrant."

"Maybe you should take a nap, sir," suggested Nanaba kindly.

"There's too much to do. I'll get by on coffee until I've gotten some things out of the way."

* * *

Levi gave a start when someone dropped a book on his new desk without warning. He looked up to see Hange Zoë grinning down at him, dressed in her hospital lab coat.

"Welcome to your first day at your new job, Mr. Counselor," she congratulated.

"I'm not a counselor," corrected Levi. "I'm not good enough with people for that. I'll be handling scheduling and patient backgrounds, for now."

He looked at the thick paperback book she'd dumped on his desk, and he frowned when he saw that she'd jostled his tea cup with it and caused a little splash. Levi quickly snatched up a tissue from the box on his desk to wipe it up. "So what's this?" He nodded at the book.

"Just a little something I thought might help you pass long office hours you might work. It's a book on finding inner peace, written by one of the most renowned psychologists in the country."

Levi sipped his tea. "Sounds boring."

Hange leaned against his desk, partly sitting on the edge of it. "Just give it a try. It's a lot more interesting than you might think."

Levi shrugged, picked up the book and flipped through it absently. "I'll check it out. So what have you been up to?"

"Oh, the usual. There's nothing new going on in my life right now. Things were slow enough at the hospital that I thought I'd stop by and have a peek at your work space. How do you like it so far?"

Levi shrugged. "I haven't been here long enough to tell. I just started this morning and I'm still learning the system."

"Well, I might be able to help you with that. They use the same admittance and scheduling system here that we use at my building. What are you having trouble with?"

Levi scooted his chair over as Hange moved around to have a look at his computer. "I'm not getting this part here very well. Every time I enter a time in the box next to the name, it resets it when I try to save and move on to the next one."

"Hmm. Oh, I see the problem." Hange tapped on the screen with her pen. "Open up this pull-down menu. See the third option down? That's what lets you lock in those times. It looks like they have it set up so you'll have to remember to do it every time before you save. Why they would set it up like that, I have no idea."

"Do you know how to fix it so I can just do my shit and go without that step?" asked Levi with an annoyed look at the screen. He re-entered some of the data, tried saving it and this time it worked.

"We can mess around with it, but they might have it locked so nobody can mess with the settings."

"Tch. It would just figure." Levi leaned to the side so Hange could try to change the settings, and he watched what she was doing carefully for future reference. Fortunately, she was able to get it done after a few minutes of fooling with it.

"There," she said. "That should make it go easier for you."

"I appreciate it." Levi started to ask if she wanted to go to lunch with him, since it was almost time for his break and she was already there. His cell phone rang, and he clicked his tongue irritably before checking the ID. It was the daycare center, so Levi answered it instead of letting his voicemail pick it up.

"This is Levi."

"Mr. Ackerman, hello," greeted the worker on the other line. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but—"

"What happened?" he demanded, tensing. "Was there an accident?"

"No, but Dylan started to get sick after his mid-morning nap," she explained. "We think he may have come down with a stomach flu, so I'm afraid someone is going to need to come and get him. We can't expose the other children to it, you understand. We tried to call Mr. Smith but we got no answer."

He sighed. "Wonderful. All right, I'll try to call Erwin, and if I can't reach him I'll make other arrangements. Thank you for calling."

"We're sorry for the inconvenience, sir."

Levi brushed it off and hung up with her. He tried Erwin's number while Hange watched curiously.

"The kid's sick," Levi muttered to her in explanation. "I guess he started puking and they think he's got a stomach flu."

"Oh dear," she sympathized.

"First day at work and this happens," griped Levi. "Erwin's not picking up, either. It dropped to his voicemail. He must be out on the job or driving."

"Why don't you let me drive you, then?" Hange offered. "We can pick Dylan up and bring him to his pediatrician to get looked at. You don't want to put that off if he's vomiting. He could get dehydrated."

"You've got time to do all that?" Levi asked her dubiously.

"I can cram it in, sure. I wouldn't want that baby to go without treatment and have it get serious."

His tension eased, if only a little bit. "All right. Let me tell them what's going on. Hopefully they won't can me for having to leave early on my first day."

"I'm sure they won't do that, Levi. They understand people have families and things sometimes come up without warning."

* * *

Erwin didn't get Levi's message until after two o'clock. He was trapped in a board meeting concerning officer safety regulations, equipment inspections and protocols. When he finally got out of there, he checked his messages and found two from Levi, one from daycare and another from Hange. Suddenly worried that something had gone horribly wrong, he immediately listened to them all. Levi didn't sound at all pleased to be unable to reach him, and he said he was going with Hange to pick their son up and take him to the doctor due to stomach aches and vomiting.

"Mike, I'm going to need to go home and check on my son," Erwin told his deputy chief. "I'm sorry, but it seems Dylan got sick at daycare and had to be taken to the doctor. I just want to make sure he's all right, and I'll come right back."

"Maybe you should take the rest of the day off," suggested the bigger man. "We've got about everything done today that we're going to, and you're running on fumes."

"I would love to take your advice, but there are still people I need to get in touch with."

"So do it from home," advised Mike.

Erwin had to admit, he had a good point. It didn't matter whether he made his calls from the precinct or his own apartment, so long as they got made. The email correspondence could also be done from home.

"I'm going to cave and do as you're suggesting," decided Erwin. "Just call me if you need me to come back in, or if any further information comes up on the case we're working on."

Mike nodded silently, and Erwin got his coat. He would have let his mate handle the situation if he weren't concerned by the tension evident in Levi's voice on his voice message.

* * *

When he made it through the front door of his apartment, Erwin was greeted by the sight of his lover looking uncommonly frazzled. Levi's hair was unkempt, he had fresh stains on his rumpled white shirt and some on his brown slacks as well. Erwin pulled up short at the sight of him, and he realized they both looked like they'd been through a meat grinder.

"Don't ask," Levi said, wiping fitfully at his shirt with a wet sponge. "Fuck, why am I bothering? I'm better off getting out of these clothes and soaking them."

Erwin could guess what the stains were, judging by the mottled brownish yellow color of them. He grimaced, and he heard Dylan crying from his bedroom. "What caused it? He seemed fine this morning."

Levi shook his head. "Just a flu virus, which means we'll probably catch it too. Doctor thinks it's a 24 hour variety and that's why it hit Dylan so suddenly. I was wearing a mask on my face to try and avoid exposure but I don't think dust masks are much use for this. It scared Dylan too, so I ditched it."

"That's odd. You use dust masks all the time when you clean."

"Yeah, but he's sick and feverish. Kids aren't rational when they're in pain, right?"

"True," agreed Erwin. "I'll go and see to him while you get changed. How many times has he thrown up?"

"Twice at daycare, once in the doctor's office and twice on me when we got home." Levi gave up on trying to wipe off the vomit, and he hurried down the hallway toward the master bedroom. "I'd put on a spit up rag before picking him up, if I were you," he called out as an afterthought.

Finding that to be sound advice, Erwin took off his coat and retrieved one of said rags from the hall closet before entering Dylan's bedroom. The baby was only clad in his diapers, and a glance at the hamper told Erwin why. The poor child had evidently gotten sick all over himself as well as his father, and Levi had stripped him out of his onesie and tossed it to be washed.

"Hey," Erwin said gently to the toddler, who was lying on his side in the crib, his chest hitching with whimpers and hiccups. The blond carefully scooped Dylan up when the baby looked up at him with tearful gray eyes. He picked up his baby blanket as well, checked to be sure it was clean and he wrapped him in it.

"What a day you've had," Erwin told the child as he paced the room with him in an attempt to calm him. "Yes, Daddy knows it hurts. Shhh."

There wasn't much Erwin could do for him except cuddle him, hum to him and try to comfort him. He carried him out of the bedroom and into the living room, doing his best to sooth him and feeling helpless. Levi came out of the hallway within moments, dressed in a simple t-shirt and some jogging pants. He scraped his fingers through his hair, and Erwin realized now that he'd probably been doing that a lot since he got the call about Dylan. No wonder his hair was so frazzled looking. He'd probably come close to pulling some of it out.

"How is he?" asked the omega.

"Very warm to the touch," informed Erwin. "Did they give you any fever reducer for him?"

"Yeah, and it was a nightmare to give it to him," answered Levi with a regretful curl of his lip. "Infant suppository form, because he can't hold anything down right now. I feel like a fucking villain."

Erwin winced. Maybe a stomach ache wasn't the main cause behind Dylan's crying. "Did they at least show you how to properly do it? I have no experience with that form of medication."

"Yes, they had me do it right there at the clinic with the doctor supervising. It's not complicated, but it was awful to have to do."

Erwin could imagine. Disgust and self-loathing were radiating from Levi, and for him to have to do that was probably triggering in itself. "It was for his own good. Unpleasant though I'm sure it is, we'll have to do it until he's well enough to take oral medicine. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just...don't know if I can do that to him again." Levi scrubbed his fingers through his hair again.

"Then I'll have to do it from now on, but I need you to instruct me on how so I don't hurt him."

"How are you gonna give him the medicine every four hours if you're at work?" Levi asked. "We can't ask Mikasa or her boys to come over and do it; they'll get sick too."

"We'll figure something out," promised Erwin. "We may both need to take time off work until it clears up. Our coworkers wouldn't thank us for spreading it to them."

Levi hissed through his teeth. "Yeah, I thought about that. Tch, so much for getting a good start at this new job of mine."

"I'm sure they would rather you stay home and wait this out than go into work when you may be contagious." Erwin patted Dylan's back when the baby started crying again. "It can't be helped, Levi."

The omega plopped down on the lounger in the corner. "What about the whole Kenny debacle? You can't be working on that if you're puking your guts out."

"I have people working on it already, and I'll do my part from home if necessary. Let's just take this one step at a time and focus on getting Dylan better."

Levi's gaze flicked to the distressed child in Erwin's arms, and his voice softened. "Yes. Of course, you're right. That's more important."

* * *

"Oh God, kill me now." Levi rolled out of the bed and charged for the bathroom for the third time that night. Erwin wasn't in much better shape; his problem was coming from the opposite end. It started for Levi first, shortly after a dinner he had to force down. They thought it might skip Erwin, but then he had a wet fart that mortified him so badly he threw away the underwear he'd soiled. At one point around eleven, both men were racing for the bathroom at the same time. Neither of them could wait, so Levi puked in the sink while Erwin went for the toilet.

Currently, Erwin was sleeping in a medication induced state of rest, having had the foresight to make a run to the pharmacy and pick up some over the counter medications for all manner of stomach upsets. At least _he_ was getting a little sleep, while Levi couldn't even roll over without wanting to hurl. On top of that, they were taking turns trying to take care of the baby.

"Where did the kid pick this up?" Levi groaned after his heaving spell ended. He rinsed his mouth out, sprayed and wiped the sink out and stumbled back to the bedroom. Erwin roused as the smaller man climbed back into the bed with him and tried to lie still.

"Still throwing up?" guessed the blond.

"Yeah. At least I don't have the shits yet."

Erwin sighed. "I wish we had a second bathroom."

Levi agreed with that. Throwing up while Erwin made poop soup at the same time was not the sort of intimacy Levi ever pictured them having together. In fact, they had trouble looking at each other for an hour or so after that. It didn't help that their pair-bond seemed to be feeding each others' sickness and making it all worse.

"I think he got it from the daycare," Levi said after a few moments. "If one of us brought it home to him, we should have gotten sick before he did."

"I think that's a reasonable suspicion," answered the blond sleepily. "Did the number of kids there seem lower than average when you picked him up?"

"I didn't do a head count, but there weren't a lot of them. Some of them probably got sent home sick like Dylan. Makes me wonder which kid was 'patient zero', because I don't think it was ours."

Erwin reached out to pat Levi's shoulder. "These things happen sometimes. It was nobody's fault, and it won't be the last time we'll have a battle with a virus on our hands. Just...oh no..."

Erwin sat up so abruptly that the mattress bounced. He was off in a flash before Levi could complain at him for jostling him. The alpha loped toward the door in a weirdly disjointed manner as he tried to hurry without dropping a load in his pajama bottoms. Levi's stomach churned sympathetically, and he laid a hand on it and swallowed, trying to avoid another joint purge situation.

It would have been funny to watch if Levi himself weren't so miserable.

* * *

Two days of misery later, the household was recovering from the incident. Dylan was able to keep food down before Levi, as he'd contracted the illness first. They stuck to the recommended bland diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast while their stomachs were still sensitive. Erwin managed to get a little work done while they dealt with the flu, as it didn't hit him as hard as it did the others. He found out that Kenny was seen meeting up with a suspicious looking character the night after the virus struck.

When asked to elaborate, the officer that had been assigned to watch him said that the other person was a tall female with shifty looking eyes and brown hair. That annoyed Erwin at first because it wasn't much to go on, but the officer had the sense to discreetly take a photo and have it enhanced for identification purposes.

What if Kenny wasn't working alone? If he was the killer, could it be that this mystery woman was responsible for half of the deaths he was allegedly taking credit for? As soon as it was safe for him to go back to work, he went into the precinct to review the new information they'd dug up. Levi refused to take Dylan back to the daycare center until he could be sure there weren't more incidents with sick kids, so he was staying home to take care of Dylan in the meantime.

"What do we have?" Erwin asked Annie when he arrived at work and went to the evidence room.

"Here's the photo, sir," she offered. "The lighting isn't great, but the angle is good enough to see most of her features."

Erwin examined the blown up picture with their two subjects. They were in a parking lot near an older model muscle car and a smaller two-door coupe. It looked like they were exchanging a slip of paper between them, and Erwin could see why it was described as suspicious. It was possible that they were just exchanging phone numbers. She seemed a bit young for Kenny, but if she was a working girl then age certainly didn't matter.

He studied her image, taking note of the long, narrow face, the lidded eyes and the straight, dark brown hair. She had narrow eyebrows and a tan complexion. He couldn't tell the color of her eyes in the photo, but they had a cattish slant to them. She had a bored look about her that reminded Erwin vaguely of the deadpan expression Levi tended to adopt when he wanted to conceal his thoughts. Tall and lean, the woman was wearing dark pants over thick-heeled boots, a rock band t-shirt and a black leather jacket.

"Have we been able to identify her yet?" Erwin asked after several moments of viewing the photo.

"We looked up the license plate number of the smaller car she drove off in. According to records, her name is Ymir Fritz. She's a student at a local trade school and she works at the auto shop on 72nd avenue and 29th street."

"Doesn't exactly sound like the sort of person that would murder drug dealers," he stated softly.

"What sort of person would you fit to that role, Chief?"

He looked sidelong at the petite blonde officer, and he smirked. "Fair enough. We'll put her on the list of possible suspects to be investigated."

Abruptly, he changed his mind about that action. "Actually, change of plans. I want her brought in and questioned."

Annie's brows lifted ever so slightly, the only change of expression on her face. It seemed Erwin was meeting a lot of people who liked to wear that particular mask. Annie didn't question him, though he suspected she wanted to.

* * *

"Hey man, I didn't do anything." The woman in the interrogation room protested. She wasn't cuffed as she wasn't under arrest, but that didn't ease her indignity. She got out of her chair, walked over to the one-way mirror and cupped her hands around her face to try and peer through it.

"I know someone's in there! I don't know what your game is, but I have rights!"

Erwin stood back with his arms folded over his chest. He watched her rant and pace when she couldn't see anything through the glass. He gave it a few more minutes, checking his watch. When he thought enough time had passed to make her good and nervous, he nodded to Mike.

"All right, let's go in there."

Mike wordlessly followed him out of the observation room and through the door into the interrogation area. He took a seat while Erwin approached the table with a glass of water to offer to their subject. Ymir looked between the two alphas with a calculating gleam in her eyes, seeming to take measure of them.

"Have a seat, Miss Fritz," Erwin suggested with a gesture at one of the chairs. "You aren't in any trouble. We just want to ask you a few questions. If you answer truthfully and concisely, we can have you out of here within the hour."

She frowned mistrustfully at him. "If I'm not in any trouble, why am I in this room? They could have asked me whatever questions they wanted at home instead of dragging me here."

"I know it's inconvenient. It was necessary to protocol, however."

She looked at the water, sighed and took a sip of it. She waved a hand before setting the glass back down. "Fine. Just get this over with, because I have places to be. What do you want to ask me? Do I have an unpaid parking ticket I didn't know about or something?"

"Nothing like that," assured Erwin.

He nodded at Mike, and the other man opened up the file folder he'd brought in with him and slid it across the table to Ymir. "That's you in this picture, isn't it?"

She looked down at it automatically, and confusion leaked into her expression, followed by consternation. "What is this? Am I being investigated for something?"

"Not yet," replied Erwin. "That _is_ you in that photo, correct?"

"Yeah, so?" She looked between the two men indignantly. "Who's taking pictures of me and why?"

"What is your relationship with the man in that picture with you?" Erwin said, ignoring her question.

Her mouth dropped open, then shut. Her eyes narrowed and she raised a thin brow. "What, do you think he's my pimp? Maybe my sugar daddy?"

"I don't know, is he?" Erwin kept his expression neutral and his tone flat.

"Hah! He wishes. Look Officer...um..." she peered at Erwin's nameplate and uniform pins, and she blinked. "Oh. Chief. My mistake, Chief E. Smith. Wow, this must be some serious shit for the head honcho to interrogate me."

"It is," confirmed Erwin. "Now, please answer the question. As I said: you aren't in any trouble yet, but that could change depending on how this interview goes."

"You haven't even told me what kind of trouble I _may_ be in if I don't satisfy you with my answers," she pointed out. "If I need to get a lawyer, you'd better tell me."

"You can request a lawyer if you like," Erwin said, "but if you do that when you aren't even under arrest, it suggests you have something to hide and hinders an important investigation. Let's just try to make this as quick and painless as possible for everyone, shall we?"

She studied him, and she was the first to look away when Erwin kept his gaze locked on hers, opaque and stern. "The guy's an associate, okay?"

"What kind of associate?" pressed Mike.

"Not the sexy kind if that's what you mean," she answered. Ymir spread her hands. "I met the guy at a party when they were passing out...uh...favors."

Erwin tilted his head. "I assume 'favors' is slang for some form of substances?"

"It was a rave," she sighed. "Of _course_ there were substances. It isn't like I was doing crank or blow. It was just some x."

"And how did that meeting progress?"

"I dunno, me and my girlfriend just ended up hanging out with him. Had a good enough time and he was all right. He asked if we'd heard of a guy he used to get some other stuff from, said he lost all of his contacts when his old phone got smashed and he had to replace it. I don't knot the guy, but I know someone that does so I got a number for him."

"What sort of 'stuff' did Mr. Ackerman say he wanted to get?"

She looked uncomfortable. "Heavier stuff than me or my girl would ever touch. Shit that can fuck up a person's life for good."

Erwin had already read between the lines. "Give me a specific, please."

"Smack," she answered after a few moments hesitation. "Heroin, whatever you cops want to call it."

"And what was the name of this supplier he was searching for?"

Ymir didn't speak, and the wariness in her eyes was growing. "Why? You want to bust them? Is that it? Hey, I don't do any of that extreme stuff, but I'm not a nark either."

"I want to save a life," Erwin said simply.

Her nose crinkled with confusion. "Okay...how is me narking on someone going to 'save a life'? Is the guy selling laundry detergent as drugs or something?"

Mike took his second cue, and he opened up the second folder he'd brought. In it was a printed image from the only surveillance camera footage they had of the suspect. It had been enhanced enough to show the resemblance between the shooter's profile and Kenny's. Erwin did the talking.

"We believe the man you met up with the night that photo was taken of you may be the serial killer we're trying to apprehend. If you look closely, you can see a resemblance in their build and attire. We also have witnesses, and we believe he's going to strike again."

Ymir finally expressed open surprise, as well as a little horror. Her eyes flicked between the two photos, and she lifted them to stare at Erwin in disbelief. "You're telling me this guy is the 'Derby Hat Killer'?"

Erwin's mask nearly slipped, and he glanced at Mike with a faint question in his eyes. Mike shrugged his broad shoulders in ignorance. Neither of them had heard the title before.

"That's what they're calling him on campus," Ymir explained. "Because the only thing anyone knows about him is he was wearing a hat in that footage they showed on the news."

"I see." Erwin neutralized his expression again. "Well, this is who we're trying to catch and so far, his victims have all been involved in drug trafficking. We need the name of the person Mr. Ackerman asked you about, so that we can determine if he has any connection to the previous shooting victims. If there is one, he could very well be the next casualty."

"This is unbelievable," muttered Ymir. She rubbed her forehead, and she stared down at the images again. "I mean, the man had a bit of a creep factor to him, but he spoke my language and he had a wicked sense of humor. I wouldn't have picked him as a fucking murderer."

"And he may not be," Erwin persuaded. "That's what we have to confirm. This could be a coincidence, a case of mistaken identity. If so then the supplier he asked you about will be safe. If not, he'll join the list of victims. It depends on you, Ymir."

She was obviously still a little shaken, and she took a few more gulps of water before answering him. "All right. I got the phone number for him and gave it to him on a piece of paper after the rave started dying down. I guess that's when your buddies snapped the picture of me. His name's Chris Osprey. I don't have the number I got from my friend for him anymore, so I can't help you there. I don't know where he lives either, but I see him around on campus sometimes when I go to class."

Erwin took the name down. It wasn't much, but it was a start. "All right then. You're free to go, Miss Fritz. A word of advice before you do, though: if Mr. Ackerman contacts you again, you should report it immediately. It's as much for your safety as for our investigation, do you understand?"

She nodded, and she got up. "Yeah, I get it. I can't decide if I'd rather you guys be right or wrong about this. If you're right then I was hanging out with a maniac and didn't even know it. If you're wrong, you've still got to track down the real killer."

"I understand your feelings," Erwin assured her. "If you should hear from him again, I would appreciate it if you would call and ask for me directly. If I'm not available, ask for Deputy Chief Zacharius, here."

Erwin opened the door for her, and he stepped aside to let her out. "Thank you for your cooperation. Be careful when you go to those rave parties, Ymir."

That reminder that she'd just confessed to doing ecstasy to a pair of high-ranking policeman made her move a little faster.

* * *

Levi was practicing on a learner version of the rehab clinic's administrative programs when Erwin came home. He'd already called to let him know he was going to be late, and when he hung up his jacket and greeted him, Levi found out why.

"We may have found a lead on the case. It could either clear your uncle or put him on the wanted list."

Levi stopped what he was doing, and he turned the chair to look up at the blond. "What kind of a lead? Another witness or something you found in his records?"

"Actually, Kenny's records aren't that stained," said Erwin. "He's got some misdemeanors, one old DUI, assault and battery charges and some speeding tickets. No felonies."

That wasn't too surprising to Levi. The man had always been a troublemaker, but Kenny was clever and sly enough to avoid getting caught over half the time. "Just because it's not all on record doesn't mean he hasn't done a lot more shit than that. So what'd you find out?"

"We brought someone in for questioning after she was seen making a suspicious exchange with him the other night," obliged Erwin. "It seems he was asking her questions about a local supplier that deals heroin. He may be planning to go after him next."

"Does it check out, though?" Levi frowned. Just how many fucking suppliers did Slater go through to keep him doped up? Maybe that was why he'd gotten away with it for as long as he did, because it made it harder to lead authorities back to him if he varied his dealers enough.

"We're working on finding that out."

Erwin squatted before the chair Levi was in so that they were eye level to each other. Sometimes the action made Levi feel like a child, but he also appreciated not having to crane his neck to look up at his lover.

"If we can get enough on this dealer, bring him in and charge him, we may be able to skip some steps and confirm a connection. Should that work out, we have enough evidence now to obtain the search warrant we need against your uncle. If we seize any firearms from him this will be over with one way or the other. For your sake, I hope it ends with him going free and cleared of charges. You need to be prepared for the other possibility, though."

"I know." Levi dropped his gaze, pondering. "Think he'll get the death penalty if he's guilty?"

"It's a possibility, but this state isn't big on capital punishment. It's more likely he'll face life in prison without chance of parole."

Erwin studied his face, and he reached out to cup Levi's face and draw him into a lingering kiss. "I don't want you to worry about this until there's a need to. Innocent until proven guilty, remember?"

"You know what I think it is?" mused Levi. "What I've started realizing?"

"What's that?" encouraged Erwin.

Levi met his eyes. "I'm not having a hard time with this because he's my uncle. He hardly showed me any affection growing up and the only thing he taught me to do was fight. It's because he's my mother's brother. I think it's the same for him. He didn't show up to raise me because he gave a shit about me personally. He did it for Mom."

Erwin was quiet for a moment, and then he spoke softly. "I think there's more between you two than mutual love for your mother, but that could just be my reading more into what I heard on that recording than there was. Whatever the reason for it, you have ties to him and I know this is difficult on you. I wish I could spare you from it."

Levi studied his alpha's attractive face, his gorgeous blue eyes. The uniform really brought out the color in them. He sighed, now wishing he hadn't had to take one of his anxiety pills. Trying to have sex tonight would be a bad idea after a near panic attack, and that particular medication tended to dry him up anyway. He could use lubricant to remedy that, but Levi knew better than to try and force himself to get in the mood.

Erwin must have detected his veiled interest, and his voice dropped to a deeper tone. "Is Dylan asleep?"

"Yeah. I put him down about an hour ago."

Erwin stood up, and he offered his hand to Levi. "Would you come to bed with me?"

Levi almost groaned. Their bond was one of empathy, not telepathy. Erwin's suggestion even made him feel a compulsion to comply, something Levi doubted the man was aware of.

"I don't think I can do it tonight," Levi said, resolving himself to the use of verbal communication. "I took the anxiety meds earlier."

"Oh." Erwin knew what that meant, but he tried valiantly to mask his disappointment. "It's all right. We don't have to do anything, and I won't pressure you to go to bed if you aren't tired."

"I'm winding down," Levi said. "I was just going to finish this one practice document. I also figured I'd wait up for you."

The blond smiled in understanding. "I appreciate that. If I'm asleep when you join me, I'll see you tomorrow."

Levi checked a sigh, and he watched as Erwin retreated. He'd entertained the hope that pair-bonding with the man and wiping out Slater's remaining influence would somehow cure him of these moments of sexual anxiety. He wouldn't have described himself as promiscuous back in the day, but when he was involved with someone he was always very sexually active.

Regardless of Erwin's reassurances that he didn't need sex all the time to be happy with him, Levi couldn't squash the nagging uncertainty that still came over him when he knew that Erwin wanted him, but Levi wasn't able to comply because of his issues.

* * *

Erwin sensed his mate as soon as Levi got into bed with him, and he scooted closer to put an arm around him. He breathed in his scent, basked in the press of his sweet, toned body against his own and tried not to poke him with the semi-erection he had. When the omega wriggled closer and foiled Erwin's attempt to be a gentleman, he realized Levi was completely nude beneath the covers.

That confused him because of the man's rejection earlier. Levi also tended to set the tone in the bedroom by how he dressed for bed. If he was wearing something skimpy or nothing at all, it was a signal that he was receptive. If he wore pajamas or boxers he generally wasn't in the mood.

Erwin wasn't sure what to do. He tried to sense what Levi was feeling, but it was difficult to pinpoint what he was getting from him. Resolve was one of the emotions, but Erwin could swear he was picking up on anger as well. Maybe it was resentment. He was beginning to suspect that Levi felt obligated to have sex with him because he'd hinted at it earlier. Levi's groin was soft against his thigh. He'd pressed his face against Erwin's chest and reciprocated his embrace, but he made no other moves beyond that.

For fear of misreading him and setting him off, Erwin did nothing. He just held him, tried to avoid letting his growing arousal come into too much contact with Levi's body and attempted to go to sleep.

Soft lips were caressing his chest. Erwin's eyes flew open. Levi's dark, smooth hair tickled his nose as the smaller man's mouth traveled over his skin, kissing his throat next. Erwin stroked his back slowly, still wary of upsetting Levi. The omega's hand drifted down Erwin's back and lower, gliding over his ass before cupping his hip. It then moved on to the front, the fingers trailing over Erwin's boxer shorts before gripping his cock through them.

"Levi, are you awake?" Erwin had never seen him sleepwalk, but Levi did have nightmares and talk in his sleep at times. His medication might have put him into a sort of trance and he could be unaware of what he was doing.

"Mm-hmm," came the hummed response. The moist lips sucked on Erwin's collarbone, then started kissing their way lower again.

"I thought you didn't feel like having sex tonight." Erwin clenched his jaw and begged the universe for composure as Levi's hand started to move between his thighs.

Levi stopped kissing his chest to tilt his face up and look at Erwin. "We can fool around. I know you want to."

"Wait." Erwin reached down to still the omega's busy hand. "It isn't just about what _I_ want. You know that."

"Yeah, you've said it plenty of times. Can't I want to get you off just for the sake of it, though?" That clever hand started to move again with determination, gripping Erwin just right through the boxers.

"Shit," gasped Erwin, thrusting into the touch without thought. "You're still...recovering from that flu, also. Seems unfair to expect you to...ahhh..."

"Shhh," hushed Levi, nibbling the alpha's lips in that erotic, teasing way of his. "I want to do this. Let me."

Erwin lost the battle. Levi was too damned good, too sexy and too persuasive. He urged Erwin to roll onto his back, and when the blond complied, Levi rested a thigh over the top of his and kept kissing his chest. He tugged lightly at a nipple with his teeth, and his hand burrowed into Erwin's pants. Erwin made low sounds of delight. He moved restlessly on the bed, lifting and dropping his hips in time with Levi's strokes.

Erwin started touching him back after a while, once he was sure Levi was relaxed enough to accept it. He fondled his nipples, rubbed his ass and finally stroked his cock. It firmed up a little in his hand, but after a while of making out, Erwin resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't going to be able to return the favor Levi was bestowing on him. He didn't stop touching him though, because he could tell by the soft sighs and noises that Levi was enjoying it, even if it wasn't titillating him the way it usually would.

Levi went down on him when Erwin started getting close, sucking him off to completion without spilling a drop of his cum. He lay on top of the sweating, gasping alpha and pressed light kisses on his face and jaw while Erwin recovered. After catching his breath and enjoying the afterglow for a moment, Erwin rubbed Levi's back and asked a question of him.

"I thought you were frustrated with me."

"Why?" asked Levi between kisses.

"I felt it through the link," explained Erwin. "That's why I was concerned when you started fooling around. I don't want you to feel like it's your duty."

Levi stopped kissing his chest, and he lifted his head to gaze into the blond's eyes. "It wasn't directed at you. That was directed at myself."

Erwin frowned, unable to think of how to respond.

"I want," Levi said slowly, picking his words with care, "to be able to fuck like I used to. My body wants it all the time when certain meds don't interfere, but my fucked up mind..." he sighed and shook his head.

"It's like I'm two people now," Levi went on after a moment of reflection. "Seems that way with everything I do. My wants and need contradict each other. The goals I set always seem to be just out of my reach. I got clean, but the cravings keep coming back at the worst times. I got through my program, but I still ended up needing my sponsor to come to my rescue. I got to see my kid again, but I still can't offer him much because I can't always take care of him."

The omega frowned unhappily. "And I got you as my mate, but it didn't fix me like I'd hoped it would. Sometimes I'm okay and I can just go for it with you. Other times my brain cock-blocks me. Do you know how frustrating it is to want someone, but not be able to do anything about it?"

The irony of those last words struck Erwin so hard that he couldn't hold back a smirk, despite the somberness of the moment. "If nothing else, I do know what that's like."

Levi blinked, caught on to the meaning and grunted. "Of course you do. Shit Erwin, I—"

Erwin interrupted him with a shake of his head, placing his fingers on the omega's lips. "Levi, don't. You expect too much of yourself too fast. The recovery process takes longer than the program you went through, and that's why they encourage people to keep participating even when they've completed the steps. Yes, you've had to overcome a lot of obstacles, and it hasn't been a smooth journey at all for you. You've come so far though, and those goals _are_ close to your reach. You just have to be patient and keep them in your sights. Keep them realistic, and don't try for them all at once."

Levi stared at him, and his face took on a solemn, tired expression. "Okay."

"Yeah?" Erwin rubbed the omega's back again.

Levi nodded. "Yeah. You know, you're the only one I ever share this much with. Something about you just opens up the floodgates."

Erwin put his arms around him. "That's really how it should be between life mates."

Levi rested his head on Erwin's chest, and after a while, just as they were both starting to drift off to sleep, Levi spoke again.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Erwin gave him a squeeze. "I love you too, Levi."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note on Ymir: I used Fritz as her last name because she doesn't really have an official surname, and in canon she impersonated royalty. I decided to just go with Fritz in this story instead of trying to make up a surname for her. Hope I didn't cause any confusion.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five chapters left after this! I've also started on a sequel, but I don't know how fast that's going to come along. This one was over halfway finished when I started uploading it. Thanks again to everyone for reading, leaving kudos and reviewing!

Erwin finally obtained the search warrant for Kenny. It came through once it was confirmed that Chris Osprey had been seen with Derrick Slater before. It took a lot of searching, leg work and interviewing to pin down the connection, but once they had it he was free to have Osprey brought in and booked. The man had no idea how close to death he'd come. He denied vehemently that he knew or had any dealings with any of the shooting victims, but he did confess to supplying Slater a couple of times.

That left the task of closing in on Kenny Ackerman without giving the man any warning they were coming. Erwin touched bases with both Ymir and the girl Sasha, informing them that they might soon be required to testify. He again cautioned Ymir against having any further contact with Kenny if it could be avoided, to which she assured him she wasn't besties with the man and had no desire to rub elbows with a psycho.

The orders went out and a team of officers under Nanaba's command went to Kenny Ackerman's house, one week after the arrest of Chris Osprey. Kenny was passed out on his couch when they arrived at one minute after six in the morning. He answered his front door with bleary, bloodshot eyes and got a face full of Nanaba's badge, along with the warrant papers.

"Kenny Ackerman, we have a warrant to search the grounds and seize any substances, weapons or information we find relating to the recent serial killings," she informed him. "Please step outside slowly. Officer Leonhart will escort you to her squad car, where you'll sit until our investigation is complete."

"What the hell?" he sputtered with convincing surprise and outrage. "Do you have an arrest warrant, missy?"

"We will the moment we find anything that implicates your involvement with the murders, sir," Nanaba answered curtly. "Don't give me a reason to bring you in otherwise."

"Shit." He wiped his mouth and glanced over his shoulder. "Can I get my jacket at least?"

"I'm afraid not. Officer Leonhart will turn on the heater in the car. Put on your shoes and do as your told."

Growling in annoyance, Kenny went back inside. Nanaba nodded to her companions, putting her hand on the handle of her gun as a precaution as they waited. Kenny emerged after a few moments, wearing a pair of old boots and his hat.

"There'd better be a damned good excuse for this."

"Turn around and face the wall," ordered Nanaba.

"You're gonna frisk me?" Kenny eyeballed her appraisingly, and he shrugged. "Yeah, okay. You can do that, toots."

"Officer Mallory," Nanaba said invitingly to a rather large balding policeman.

"Aw, man," sighed Kenny.

Nanaba smirked, and she waited while her fellow officer frisked Kenny to be sure he wasn't carrying any weapons. When he nodded, she motioned Annie over and gave the go-ahead for the others to step inside and start the search.

"Come with me Mr. Ackerman," Annie said to Kenny.

He shrugged, and he walked with her to her squad car. He ducked inside to the back seat when she opened the door and prompted him to, and then Annie got into the front to crank the engine and turn the heat on. She reached for her radio to report in that the search was underway, and Kenny leaned forward to peer through the wire grid separating the back seat from the front.

"Hey, you're a cute little thing—"

"Don't even," warned Annie with a glare over her shoulder at him.

"Hmph. Pissy, too. That time of the month, darlin'?"

Annie ignored him with a curl of her lip, and she resumed what she was doing.

* * *

"They didn't find anything."

Erwin frowned at Mike. "Nothing? Not even a gun?" Levi had said he saw a gun when he was at Kenny's.

"Well, they found a gun," corrected Mike, "It's the right caliber and model, but the grooves from the gun barrel don't match. It's not the same gun that fired on those shooting victims, Chief."

"And there were no other firearms in the house? It was searched from top to bottom?"

"Sorry. Nanaba had them scour the place, even tore up some floorboards she thought looked loose. We confiscated the gun, some knives and a laptop. The techs are still searching the computer hard drive for anything incriminating. All they've found is porn."

Erwin drummed his fingertips on his desk. "I was so sure of it."

"Because Levi was sure of it?" guessed Mike.

"Not just because of that, though his certainty was what convinced me to review that recorded conversation more thoroughly. There was something about the tone of Kenny's voice and the way he said certain things."

"I don't know what to tell you," sighed Mike. "We have to let him walk without any physical evidence. That recording would never stand up as a confession."

"Maybe not in a court of law," mused Erwin, "but it could serve another purpose. Is the suspect still here?"

"Yeah, cooling his heels in a holding cell while we process the release paperwork."

"Good. Have him brought to one of the interrogation rooms. I have one more card to play before he's released."

* * *

Kenny was as cool as a cucumber when Erwin joined him in the interrogation room with the recording device. The two alphas eyed each other as Erwin took a seat.

"Let's not beat around the bush," Erwin said. "I have to release you on the grounds of a lack of evidence, but that in no way means this is finished. Don't try to leave town."

Kenny shrugged. "Wasn't going to. Must suck to do all that hard work tearing up my house only to find you've got the wrong guy."

"I'm not convinced that I do have the wrong guy," informed Erwin. "I think I have a man with secrets darker than most people could imagine. I think I have a sociopath sitting in front of me, one that's so emotionally and morally crippled that he's convinced the world is just a big circus for his entertainment."

Kenny whistled softly. "That's kind of harsh, Chief. Is this really about me sending my nephew off? Are you just butthurt because with all your resources and networking, you couldn't track down your babypapa for a year?"

"This is about uncovering the truth and seeing justice done."

"You sure about that?" Kenny tilted his head. "Seems to me you've got nothing on me except a handful of accusations and a grudge. I don't know you, but I know your type. Always hiding behind some pious bullshit ideals, judging other people and trying to pass yourself off as some kind of moral authority."

Erwin smirked at him. "You don't know my type at all. As for what I have on you, I would like you to hear something I've been holding on to."

Erwin set the wire device on the table, turned it on and played the audio recording for Kenny. They listened to his conversation with Levi, and when it was over, Erwin turned off the device and looked at the other man again.

"There are some pretty strong implications in that recording," Erwin told him. He threaded his fingers together on top of the table. "One might think you were bragging about killing those people."

"Ah, that little shit." Kenny grimaced, then smirked. "I thought it was a little funny that he'd bring up those serial killings. This doesn't mean anything, though. I was just pointing out the flaw in sympathizing with a bunch of drug dealing scum. They probably destroy more lives than that serial killer did. You ought to know, Erwin. You're a cop. You're with Levi. You've seen what happens when people get mixed up in that shit."

"I'm not going to sit here and discuss subjective morality with you," said Erwin firmly. "Others might get the impression that you were just having a debate with your nephew, but I've learned to read between the lines. Levi obviously believes you had something to do with the murders, or he wouldn't have wired himself when he visited you."

"Gotta admit, I never expected the kid to wear a wire." Kenny shrugged. "Figured he might say something to you about the conversation though."

Erwin had to admit that Kenny had covered himself well. He'd used language that made it difficult if not impossible to make the claim that he was admitting to anything in the recording. Levi was right about him; the man was as slippery as an eel. The point of this wasn't to use the recording as solid evidence against him, though. It could bolster the case against him in conjunction with other evidence, but Erwin's goal here was to try and rattle Kenny, get him to reveal something they could really use.

"Do you really think I'd tell Levi something incriminating, knowing he's fucking the chief of police?" Kenny went on when Erwin didn't speak for a few moments.

"With your kind of personality, it's difficult at best to say what you'd do or what your motivations are. What I do know is that you made a pretty strident argument in favor of killing those victims, and I detected secondary meanings behind everything you said."

"People talk. We were just shooting the shit. How's it my fault Levi's turned into a paranoid little fucker?"

"For your information, Levi was conflicted about telling me. If it weren't for the fact that he..."

Erwin trailed off and brought his emotions to heel. He'd meant to rattle Kenny, but it seemed Kenny was getting to him instead. Blurting out that Levi had suffered an episode after leaving the man's place and as a result required methadone treatment wasn't a good idea. Telling him that Erwin wouldn't have found out about the recording that day if Levi hadn't been too groggy on meds to get rid of the wire before he saw it wouldn't help.

"He didn't tell me about the recording immediately," Erwin revised. "He might have tossed it out if it weren't for the things you said. I can promise you this: your nephew would get no joy out of seeing you imprisoned or executed."

"Then why the hell are you giving me such a hard time?" Kenny reasoned with a shrug. "I cooperated. You didn't find any evidence and all you've got to go on is a chat about the serial murders."

Erwin tried a different angle. "Because if you _aren't_ the perpetrator, I think you at least know who is."

Kenny went still, finally having a reaction of discomfort. "How do ya figure?"

"You gained an intimate knowledge of what happened to your nephew two years ago. You deliberately stated in that recording that you believed someone went after them to avenge a wrong done to a person in their lives. You then cautioned Levi against telling people too much about your 'theory', advising him that it could lead to them finding out things about his past that he doesn't want to become common knowledge. Either you did it, or you're involved."

"Nice theory." Kenny grinned. "I can see you're a tactical thinker. You can keep theorizing all you want, but you can't keep me here unless you've actually got something on me. I'm done talking to you."

"We'll see," Erwin stated. He gathered everything up. "I suppose you're right, for now. I have nothing on you. You'll be free to go once the paperwork is complete. If nothing confiscated from your home is found to be evidence against you, then you'll receive it back."

"Hey Chief."

Erwin turned with his hand on the doorknob, looking back at Kenny. "Yes?"

"I do have one more thing to ask you." Kenny's expression suddenly changed to one of calculation and interest. "Are you sure that kid my nephew had is really yours?"

Erwin froze his expression.

"I mean, when you look at the time frame and when he was born, it's cutting it pretty close."

"Dylan is my son in every way that counts," stated Erwin firmly, and then he left.

* * *

Levi had finally touched bases again with his old friends Isabel and Farlan. They met up with him for a bite after he got off work, and he gave them an abridged version of where he'd been and what he'd been up to. He admitted the drug abuse, overdosing and going through rehab. He otherwise stuck with the original story he'd given them about how he got pregnant, and he admitted that he'd left town and abandoned his son because of his addiction and inability to cope.

"I wanted a fresh start," he said between bites of the sandwich he'd ordered. They were eating under a gazebo in the park a couple of blocks from the rehab center. "Thought I could handle it since I made it through to term without slipping up. Turns out being pregnant was the only thing keeping me from using, and I found that out once I was on my own with no responsibilities."

Isabel was grimacing, the expression on her pixie-like face frozen between sympathy and mild horror. "You never could have convinced me something like this could happen to you, big bro. You were always so together, unlike the rest of us."

"It just proves that even the strongest people can fall on hard times," Farlan pointed out. "Most of us had our 'wild times', but Levi skipped that. This was his. What matters is he's back now, and it sounds like he's doing okay for himself."

"So this police chief of yours," Isabel said to Levi, "is he the really cute blond that was on the news a little while back?"

"Tch, no, it's some _other_ police chief in the same city." Levi gave her a dry look.

"Hey, no need to get so sarcastic," she whined.

"Of course it's him," Levi allowed, forgiving her for the flaky moment.

"Damn, nice job, big bro." She grinned at him. "He's a total babe."

Levi shrugged, almost tempted to smile. "He's all right."

The adopted siblings glanced at each other.

"Just like Levi to play it down," Farlan said with a smirk. "I remember you telling me that guy asked you out on a date the last time I saw you. When you were in the hospital."

"Yeah. That was the night my 'oops' happened."

Isabel raised a brow. "You banged him on the first date? You didn't say that earlier. All you said was he got you pregnant and you left the baby with him."

"Since when are you the moral police?" Levi snapped at her. "We got drunk, okay? It doesn't matter how it happened or on what date. It happened."

"And you're living with him and raising your kid together," Farlan recapped.

Levi nodded. "We're trying to make it work."

"That's got to be tough," remarked Isabel.

Farlan frowned at her. "Why? It sounds like a good arrangement to me."

"Dummy," she accused. "Hello? He's a cop. Levi's a...a...well..."

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'social worker'," Levi said crisply.

She sighed. "I just mean with you recovering from addiction and your boyfriend being chief of police, it's an odd match. He's hot and all, but what if you relapse and he has to be the one to arrest you for possession?"

"He isn't going to relapse, Isabel," scoffed Farlan. "Drop the defeatist attitude."

"I might," Levi said softly. When they both stared at him in concern, he shrugged. "I don't plan to, but it's happened before. I'm trying to change my attitude. I can't keep going through life thinking: 'it could never happen to me'. I need to be prepared for shit to go wrong, but I also need to keep striving for improvement. I'm one moment of weakness away from being right back where I started, and I've learned to accept that flaw. Doesn't mean I'll seek it out, but it's a part of me that won't go away just because I hate it."

Levi kept it to himself that Erwin was who inspired him to think that way. He didn't even know if he could adopt that life outlook, but to him it made sense.

"When do we get to meet this cop of yours?" Isabel pressed. "The baby, too. He's so cute! He's like a mini you, Levi."

"Ah..." Levi stared down at his food. He might have just backed himself into a corner. He hadn't told Erwin he was going to be having lunch with them today, hadn't explained to him that they were getting the original version of the story that Levi had come up with. Plus with the murder case, Kenny's possible arrest and the schedules they kept, it was dicey to organize anything else.

"I don't know," he finally said. "Erwin's work schedule is all over the place right now."

"Well, we could drive you to pick up your son," offered Farlan after a moment's reflection. "You need to do that anyway, right? Erwin can come another time."

"I guess that would be okay," Levi said reluctantly. The only reason he had issues was because he didn't know when to expect Erwin home or what kind of mood he was going to be in when he got there. Not that the man would raise a stink if he came home to unexpected guests; Erwin was too well-mannered for that. "Okay, let's pick up Dylan after this and I'll show you my place."

* * *

Erwin's feet were dragging when he made it home to his apartment. Frustration was eating at him. He didn't want to put Levi's uncle away, but as an officer of the law it was his duty to see justice done and he couldn't shake the certainty he felt in his bones that Kenny was guilty. Had he managed to get any solid evidence to prove that, then Levi could have at least gotten some closure. Now he was back to where he started from, with nothing more than suspicions to go by and a murderer still on the loose.

"Levi, I'm—" Erwin paused as he walked through the door to see two unfamiliar people sitting on the couch with his lover. "—Home. Hello. I wasn't expecting guests."

Levi got up quickly, handing their son over to the girl with the red pigtails. "Hey. I was about to text you. Erwin, this is Isabel and Farlan. We hooked up again after work and they wanted to meet Dylan."

"I see." Erwin pushed aside his consternation. Levi had every right to have his friends over, regardless of how Erwin's day had gone. He smiled in greeting at their guests. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Erwin."

"Hi!" Isabel waved at him, and then she snuggled Dylan happily. "He is such a little doll! Sorry to pop in on you without warning."

"Think nothing of it," said Erwin graciously. He met Levi's gaze, and he checked a sigh. He wished he had better news for him.

"How did today go?" asked Levi softly. There was an unspoken question in his eyes.

"Later," whispered Erwin tactfully. "Visit with your friends for now. I'm going to have a bite to eat. Have you had dinner yet?"

"Yeah, we ate at the cafe before coming here." Levi's hooded gaze reflected some quiet concern. "I should have bought something to bring home for you. Wasn't sure when you'd be getting off work or if you—"

Erwin gently shushed him with a shake of his head, and he lowered his mouth to Levi's for a brief kiss. "It's fine. I don't expect you to feed me the moment I walk through the door."

Erwin grinned at Levi's blush, and he murmured into his ear. "Really, it's okay. Enjoy your visit. It's good to see you socializing, and to finally put faces to the names."

"Okay," conceded the omega. "There's shaved turkey and lettuce in there, if you'd rather have a quick sandwich than cook anything. We've got frozen dinners in the—"

Erwin kissed him again, silencing his dialog once more. "I can manage, love. Thank you."

Levi kissed him back, blushing even deeper. Erwin could guess why when he noticed Farlan and Isabel watching them with sly grins. He suppressed a chuckle. Maybe he shouldn't have displayed such affection for Levi in front of his friends. He had only been able to touch of kiss Levi on a whim fairly recently, and Levi was still reserved when it came to public displays.

Deciding against teasing his lover, Erwin went into the kitchen to spare Levi some dignity. He took his advice and put together a sandwich for himself, and then he joined them all in the living room. Taking a seat on the recliner near the couch, Erwin started to eat. He watched Isabel play with Dylan, using one of the child's smaller stuffed animals like a puppet.

"I'm a penguin," she announced, shaking the toy in front of Dylan. "I like big hugs!"

"Gaahhh...pengu!" Dylan grabbed at the stuffed animal and hugged it tight.

"Holy shit, that's the closest thing to a real word he's said so far," Levi blurted, both eyebrows going up.

"She's got a way with animals and kids," laughed Farlan.

"Obviously." Erwin smiled, delighted if a little envious that the girl had managed to be the first to teach Dylan a new word. Other than calling Levi "baba", Dylan hadn't spoken yet.

"Hey, if you guys ever need a babysitter, you just call me," Isabel insisted. "I love this cutie already."

"We'll keep that in mind," promised Erwin after swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "Thank you. Our usual babysitter is in school and recently started a part-time job, so she isn't as readily available. What do you do for a living, if it's not too personal a question?"

"I'm a waitress and bartender," answered Isabel. She made the stuffed penguin peck gently at Dylan's cheeks, making kissing noises. "I mostly work nights, but I'm available most days if you need me."

"That's wonderful," enthused Erwin, truly appreciative. Already, he could see how good she was with his son and he knew that Levi trusted these people implicitly. He found himself frowning at that thought. Perhaps "implicitly" wasn't the right word to use, because as far as he knew, Levi hadn't yet enlightened them to the truth of what happened to him. They hadn't spoken about it yet, and Erwin wasn't about to bring the subject up and put his mate on the spot.

"He's got great hand-eye coordination," remarked Farlan, watching the child play with the stuffed penguin. "Just as I'd expect of Levi's kid."

Erwin glanced at his partner curiously. Levi had mentioned he was good with knives, but he had yet to see a demonstration. That thought gave him an idea that was possibly reckless, yet intriguing. He would have to wait to act on it, though.

* * *

After seeing his friends off, giving Dylan his evening snack and putting him to bed, Levi joined Erwin in the bedroom... _their_ bedroom. It was possibly the first time he'd thought of it that way since moving in with the man. Before it was always "Erwin's room", but by now, that attitude had changed.

Levi had covertly changed his underwear in the bathroom while his friends were conversing with Erwin, and he paused as he watched the blond begin stripping out of his uniform.

"Wait," he instructed.

Erwin stopped in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt, looking up from the task inquisitively.

"Leave it on," Levi demanded.

The alpha raised an intrigued brow. "I may not sleep well fully dressed."

Levi started unbuttoning his own shirt, and he crossed the room slowly to the bigger male. "Sleep wasn't what I had in mind."

Erwin stared at him, his blue gaze intensifying to the point of nearly glowing. He raked Levi with his gaze, and the omega could feel it like a brand on his body. Levi's nipples hardened, his breath quickening with excitement. It had been too many days since he'd felt his alpha inside of him and for once, his mind and body were cooperating with each other. He finished unbuttoning his shirt, and he stopped before Erwin and put his hands on the taller man's waist. Looking up at him, he slid his hands up and over the blond's chest in a sensual glide.

"You look really hot in this uniform," purred Levi. "I want you to keep it on while we do it."

"I can accommodate that request," murmured Erwin. He slid Levi's shirt over his shoulders, letting the material drop to the floor. When Levi moved to pick up the garment, Erwin stopped him. "Leave it."

Levi let his arms drop to his sides, his chest rising and falling faster by the moment. He was sure Erwin hadn't meant to compel him with his alpha influence, but it didn't trouble Levi as much as he would have anticipated. That was the difference between Erwin and the previous alpha he'd been mated to; he didn't use his power carelessly, didn't lord over him like a master to a slave.

"I'm sorry," whispered Erwin, the heat in his gaze cooling as he realized what he'd just done. "It was meant as a suggestion; not an order."

Levi held his gaze as the blond stroked his hair. "Strangely enough, I didn't mind. Just don't start abusing that hold you've got on me."

Erwin shook his head. "Never. You mean too much to me."

Levi believed that. It was impossible not to, with Erwin staring at him like he was the most precious treasure in the world. He tilted his head back and moaned softly as Erwin stopped stroking his hair to play with his nipples. They were hard enough to cut glass now, and tingles shot through Levi with every gentle squeeze Erwin gave them.

"Y-you haven't told me your news," breathed Levi, recalling that Erwin had postponed whatever it was he'd wanted to tell him.

The alpha stopped his teasing, and he met Levi's gaze. "For now, your uncle is clear of charges. We didn't find any evidence against him when we searched his house. We had to let him go."

Levi dropped his gaze, conflicted. "I see."

Erwin watched him quietly, and then he cupped his chin to urge his gaze back up. "Are you pleased to hear that? I'm having trouble reading you."

"I don't know," admitted Levi. "I get no joy out of the thought of him serving a life sentence, but I can't shake the feeling that he's guilty. It's fucked up. You're sure there was nothing? Could they have missed something?"

Erwin shook his head. "Nanaba was leading the search, and I've never known her to overlook anything. They searched every nook and cranny. If Kenny had anything in his possession that might have incriminated him, he got rid of it before they arrived."

Erwin lowered his mouth to Levi's for a kiss. "There's some good news. It means that Kenny might actually be innocent of the charges against him. If that's the case then you won't need to wonder any longer."

"And you'll still have a killer at large," muttered Levi. He knew Erwin was trying to cheer him up, but something inside of him felt like his uncle _belonged_ behind bars...and not just because he might have killed some drug dealers. There was so much he knew Kenny got away with doing in the past, yet he had no proof of any of it.

"Yes, we'll still have a killer on the loose," agreed Erwin, "but we _will_ track them down eventually."

Levi gave the blond a troubled look. "There's something you aren't telling me. What is it?"

Erwin sighed, and then he smirked dryly. "I suppose keeping secrets isn't even a remote option between us any longer. All right; I think that even if Kenny isn't guilty of the murders, he might know who is. I just have to find a way to get his cooperation. I'm certain he's the key to solving this series of crimes."

Levi considered that. It hadn't dawned on him to visit the possibility of Kenny being involved without actually pulling the trigger, but it made some sense. His words during their conversation definitely suggested he knew _something_ about the murders, as well as the look he'd had on his face. "How would you get his cooperation?"

"I don't know," admitted Erwin with a sigh. "The only weakness I believe he has is...well...you."

"So use me as bait somehow," suggested Levi with a shrug.

Erwin raised a brow. "And how would I do that? Threaten the safety of my own mate? I sincerely doubt that Kenny would fall for it even if I tried."

Levi rolled his eyes. "No, but we've got other methods at our disposal. If Kenny really gives a fuck about me...if he really did this because those people dealt heroin to my kidnapper, then he's gonna care if he finds out I've had a relapse."

Erwin blinked at him, and then his expression tightened into a cold mask. "What are you suggesting, Levi? I can't let you go back on the drugs, not even to stop these killings."

"I'm not," Levi reassured. He reached up to cup Erwin's handsome face, feeling sick from the mere thought of it. "I wouldn't use this as some excuse to get back on the junk. Kenny doesn't have to know that, though."

Erwin brightened. "That's actually not a bad idea. If we can stage it right, you may be able to get his cooperation where I've failed." His expression darkened. "But Levi, this is dangerous for you. We're operating under the assumption that Kenny is involved in these murders out of personal feelings for you. He's a dangerous man, and if we're wrong it could put you physically in harm's way."

"Hey, I'm not defenseless," Levi reminded him. "Back in the day I gave him some black eyes to match what he gave to me. Believe it or not, me and Kenny are fairly matched. Once I grew up he had a harder time pushing me around, and I'm sure he hasn't forgotten the time I put him through a window."

Erwin blinked again. "Your childhood...my god, Levi..."

"Don't do that," objected Levi. He reached up to brush a stray lock of blond hair from Erwin's eyes. "I know it sounds rough, but part of the reason I'm still alive is because I learned survival skills early on. The truth of it is that Kenny was more like a big brother to me growing up than an uncle, and we scrapped like siblings."

"I...see." Comprehension bled into Erwin's features. "I knew there was something about your relationship that was strange, but I couldn't put my finger on it until you just said that."

Levi shrugged, dropping his gaze. "Guess it was the only way we knew how to interact with each other, since he wasn't around until after Mom passed."

Erwin put his hands on the smaller man's hips. "I'm sorry that you're in this sort of position. You really don't need to have anything more to do with the case, Levi. You can just leave it to me."

"No." Levi shook his head and met the blond's gaze again. "I want to be involved. Even if I didn't, I don't see any other choice. My uncle could be responsible for killing those people and as much as I hate what was done to me, the only one that deserved death for it is already in the ground. People do shitty things to get by in life, but those dealers were just trying to make a buck. I seriously doubt a single one of them knew Slater was holding me hostage and forcing their junk in my veins when they sold it to him."

Erwin nodded. His hands skimmed up Levi's ribcage, coming to rest on his shoulders. "You have a greater set of morals than a lot of people, Levi."

Levi forced a smirk. "Good thing for me, since I'm mated to a cop."

A soft, low chuckle arose from Erwin's throat. He cupped Levi's chin, tilted his head back and closed in for a lingering kiss. The alpha put his arms around Levi, pulling him close to his tall, built form. "We don't have to keep going. I'm sure this subject hasn't done much to keep you in the mood."

Levi thought about it, realizing that he'd initiated sex and then spoiled it by changing the subject. He shook his head, stepping back with purpose. "No, I don't want to stop."

Levi then dropped the subject of Kenny and what to do about him entirely. He started to strip before his companion, keeping his hooded gaze on Erwin as he tugged the zipper on his pants down. He already had enough deterrents to his sex life without letting the drama with his uncle interfere further, and Levi was feeling the ache of a different sort of withdrawal. It was odd, this craving he'd developed for Erwin's cock. It wasn't the same thing as simply feeling horny; if he went without for too long, it was almost as bad as a drug withdrawal. At least he could satisfy _this_ craving in a healthy, natural way.

Levi steadied himself with a calming breath as he turned around, presenting his backside to his companion. He tugged his pants down just enough to display his lacy briefs, and he heard Erwin's swift intake of breath. Glancing over his shoulder at the blond, Levi couldn't help but smirk at the expression of naked lust on Erwin's face. He teasingly pushed one side of his pants down to give the man a view of one pale butt cheek.

"When did you put those on?" Erwin questioned. His voice came out on a husky drawl. His dark blue uniform trousers were already starting to poke out at the crotch.

"While you were talking to Isabel and Farlan about how we all met." Levi turned around to face him again, and he bent over to remove his shoes and socks. "I figured you might be too tired for sex tonight, but—"

"Never," interrupted Erwin with a shake of his head. He sounded almost boyishly excited. "I will _never_ be too tired for sex when you want it, love."

"Heh. Someone's eager. Glad I changed into these."

Levi started to flush, and he turned his back to Erwin again as he straightened back up. He deliberately struck an enticing pose, standing with his feet spaced apart, his torso twisted and a come-hither glance over his shoulder. He pulled his pants down further, giving a full view of his ass and the lacy black, sheer material stretching over it. He tensed his muscles strategically to show off the symmetry and tone of his back and buttocks, knowing the effect it tended to have on his partners. He wasn't disappointed. He heard Erwin grunt appreciatively, saw his throat bob as the blond swallowed.

It wasn't easy for Levi to display himself like this...not like it used to be. Once upon a time, he had seduction down to an art. He might have had some commitment issues in his past, but when he was with someone in a relationship, he'd always garnished their undivided attention in the bedroom. The problem was, they couldn't hold Levi's attention indefinitely and he was always the one to break things off.

That wasn't going to happen with Erwin, though. Levi had bound himself to him, and he couldn't walk away now if he tried. He just hoped he could keep the man satisfied and continue to live a drug-free life.

"You want to put that hard, thick cock of yours in here?" hummed Levi invitingly, running his hands over his ass in a suggestive manner. He blushed deeper, a little embarrassed. He felt so out of practice and awkward, yet Erwin didn't seem to notice the uncertain hitch in his voice, or the slight cringe he gave after hearing himself make the suggestion.

"I most certainly do," stated the alpha.

His voice had roughened with his urges, and his eyes were searing on Levi. He took a step toward the smaller male, reaching out to cup Levi's hips. Even now in his obvious state of excitement, Erwin's touch was gentle...cautious. Levi shivered at the contact, and he impulsively tilted his head to the left when Erwin's mouth descended to kiss his neck. Levi flinched impulsively when he felt Erwin's teeth nip at the spot where his scent gland was located, but he relaxed again in moments. His body was reacting to the alpha pheromones Erwin was putting out, instinctively drawn to the scent. He started getting wet, and Erwin had barely touched him yet.

Levi sucked in a breath when Erwin hooked his fingers into the top of his briefs to tug them open for a peek at his groin. He suffered a brief twinge of panic as the memory of his former kidnapper doing something similar tried to surface. Levi forced it away, and he let Erwin cup his half-swollen package to give it a possessive rub over the lace material. His chest rose and fell faster, and more blood rushed to his groin to fill it. Erwin cupped his jaw and turned Levi's head, his mouth covering the omega's in a heated kiss. His tongue slipped inside, dominating and insistent. Levi could feel Erwin's caution melting away as the drive to assert himself took over.

He welcomed it. He needed it. He reached behind himself to seek out the hard bulge pressing against his lower back, and he gave it a welcoming squeeze. Erwin's resulting groan vibrated in Levi's captive mouth, and his tongue thrust harder. Levi knew he was possibly playing with fire getting his mate worked up like this. After all, most of their sexual encounters had been measured in careful steps, with Levi holding the reins.

He didn't want that tonight, though. He wanted Erwin to be free to act on his natural urges, wanted to let the alpha out in him and prove to them both that he could handle it. His trust in the blond was the major factor in Levi's willingness to do this. Erwin would never hurt him. He would never force himself on him. He would always consider Levi's feelings, always strive to please him even if he went into a rut. He'd proven that already, so tonight was his night to have control.

"I'm getting too excited," gasped Erwin, breaking the kiss and yanking his hand off of Levi's package. "Give me a minute to calm down, love."

Levi could sense the near desperation radiating from his lover. He bit his lip, turned around to face him and shook his head. Levi pulled his pants down, shimmied out of them and kicked them aside. Standing before Erwin in nothing but the lace briefs, his cock peeking out the top of them moist and shiny, Levi stared up at Erwin.

"Don't hold back tonight. I don't want you to calm down. Unless Dylan wakes up and needs us, I don't want to stop."

Erwin swallowed again. His hands were clenched. That primal alpha aggression was straining within him, begging for release. Levi could smell it, could practically _taste_ it. It was making him even wetter, it was so potent. Maybe his noble blond giant was on the verge of going into a rut. It had been a while since either of them had a fertility cycle; since they'd pair-bonded, in fact. He partly hoped it would happen, because he knew the sex would be lengthy and amazing if it did. On the other hand, he had to work tomorrow and he didn't want to have to take another sick day so soon after the last ones he'd used.

"I want you to fuck me," Levi told his struggling lover. He stepped closer to him reached up and gathered up handfuls of the blond's uniform shirt. This was the biggest challenge to reclaiming his sex life, and he refused to let the fear from past trauma stop him. "I want you to pin me down and take me like you mean it, blondie. Forget being a fucking gentleman tonight. Forget the kid gloves. Show me I'm your omega and free the beast."

Erwin was shaking now. "Oh Jesus, Levi..." He closed his eyes, and his jaw tightened. "I don't want to hurt you. Don't want to make you regret this offer and give you more than you can handle."

"I'll tell you if it gets too intense for me," assured Levi. He squeezed Erwin's crotch again, which now had a damp spot on it. "Give it to me, Erwin."

The blond's composure shattered then. He crushed his mouth against Levi's kissing him so roughly that their teeth scraped together. Levi tasted blood, realized his lip got cut on Erwin's teeth. He couldn't decide if it scared him or turned him on more. His pulse raised with the primal chemical reaction his body was having to his alpha's aggression. Erwin's hands splayed solidly over his ass, squeezed the cheeks and then Levi was being hoisted up. He impulsively wrapped his legs around the other man's waist as Erwin staggered with him toward the bed. He landed on his back with Erwin's heavy body grinding against his.

"Belt," gasped Levi with a wince, feeling the buckle digging into his crotch painfully. He burrowed his hands between the press of their bodies to tug at it. "Lose the belt, big stuff. You're gonna neuter me if you keep grinding it into my junk."

Erwin lifted up, panting heavily in his carnal daze. He helped Levi to undo the belt, and he yanked it out of the loops so roughly that one of them snapped. He tossed it aside, and then his mouth was hot and urgent on Levi's again.

Well, he'd asked for it. Now Levi was about to find out just how much his alpha had been holding back for all this time.

* * *

For Erwin, it was like his omega had opened a floodgate and released a raging torrent he was powerless to hold back. A part of him was panicked, even as he flipped the smaller man over onto his stomach, yanked his skimpy underwear down and proceeded to eat his ass like there was no tomorrow. The taste of the slick Levi had produced was like a drug to him, and Erwin held the omega's hips firmly to keep still when he thought he was going to try and escape.

Levi's breathless cries filled his ears, and Erwin delved his tongue much deeper into him than he had the first time he did this. He felt the tremors rippling through that pale, tight little body. He spread him open further, mercilessly licking and thrusting until Levi was biting the pillow to hold back his screams. Erwin's cock ached with the need to be inside of him, and he got his pants undone hastily to relieve some of the pressure. He kept going until Levi's back arched and his ass lifted up further, putting him into the perfect position.

Erwin cupped Levi's groin, and he felt the slippery fluid from his release coating his softening cock. He growled in satisfaction, and he started fingering the omega, loosening him up further.

"Be still," ordered the blond when Levi again started to unconsciously squirm away. He tickled his prostate, watched the flush in his face deepen. Levi was positively, absolutely fuckable in every way. Erwin wondered how in the name of creation he'd kept control of his alpha urges for this long.

"Right there," breathed Erwin, pressing against the lump inside of Levi and kneading it tactfully. "That feels best, doesn't it?"

"Ooohhh...ahh, shit," came the omega's response, practically a sob. "Fuck...so intense...it's m-making me...Erwin!"

Levi came again. His body shook like he was being tortured, but Erwin could see the ecstasy in his profile. Levi's eyes opened, blank and staring with shock. Erwin kept going. He wasn't through with him yet. He wanted him weak and spent from pleasure before he mounted him. Levi jerked with each motion of Erwin's fingers, and the alpha reached out and under with his free hand to tease his nipples, one at a time.

"Oh...unh...h-holy shit..."

"Shh," instructed Erwin as calmly as he could. "You'll wake Dylan if you get much louder. Just ride it out, love."

It probably wasn't very fair for Erwin to exert his influence over Levi this way and expect him to be passive while he stimulated such a sensitized spot. Had he been thinking clearly, he wouldn't have pulled so bold a move out of fear of triggering his mate. So far, Levi seemed to be coping better than expected with it. He obediently remained in position with his legs folded under him, his ass in the air and his head turned to the side on the pillow. He looked so erotic like this, so sensually inviting. His breath caught and shivered on his lips, and Levi started to rock back against Erwin's touch.

It went on for perhaps ten more minutes, and Erwin further tormented the omega by squeezing the base of his cock to stop ejaculation when he sensed him getting close. He wasn't trying to be cruel when he did it; he just wanted to prolong Levi's pleasure and make his next orgasm mind blowing.

"Please," Levi rasped, looking over his shoulder at Erwin. "Can't...take anymore..."

Erwin did stop, then. He could feel Levi's frustration through the link, and he didn't want to prolong it any further. He withdrew his fingers from Levi's dripping ass, and he licked off the slick from them before rolling his companion over onto his back. He'd considered taking Levi on all fours, but he didn't want to push it too far by using a less intimate position. Erwin felt it was better for Levi if they were facing each other when they did the act...easier for him to keep himself in the present instead of having flashbacks.

"You're amazing," Erwin told him, reaching down to grip his length as Levi spread his legs wide to accommodate him. The omega was throbbing against his lower abdomen as Erwin settled between his thighs, still wet from his last climax. Erwin pressed against the slippery entrance to Levi's body, and he held his gaze while he penetrated him.

"Hah...nnhh!"

Levi grabbed at Erwin's shoulders, his eyes going blank again. He came the moment Erwin was in balls deep, curling against his chest and biting his left pectoral. Erwin nuzzled the top of his head, and he started to move slowly. Even in his state of excitement, he refused to start pounding him right out the gate. He groaned at the feel of Levi's body squeezing him perfectly, and he gradually picked up speed.

Erwin heard Levi's sharp intake of breath when he gave a hard thrust, and he looked down at him to be sure he wasn't hurting him. Levi's eyes were closed, his lips were parted and moist, and he had the most beautiful look of pleasure and surrender on his face. Erwin had seen that expression on him before, but not this intimately or close. He arched his back and dipped his head so that he could kiss those gasping lips. His hips snapped faster, and his groans began to drown out Levi's in volume.

"Ah...god," rasped Erwin, grabbing the omega's wrists. He pinned them over Levi's head, lifting up a little to watch him. Seeing the flash of panic in the lidded, pale eyes, Erwin released them immediately. Holding Levi down wasn't yet an option, he thought. The omega didn't protest, but Erwin didn't want to give him reason to.

Levi calmed again, and he stroked and kneaded Erwin's tense chest. His hips rolled to match the alpha's thrusts, and he bit his lower lip to try and censor the noises he was making. He breathlessly urged Erwin on, even when the blond's pumping got forceful enough to make the bed knock against the wall. It drove Erwin into a frenzy, and he vaguely wondered if he might break Levi in half before he was finished with him.

His orgasm came like an eruption, prompting Erwin to emit a depraved, rough shout and throw his head back. It took him a few moments to recover from it, and his arms trembled with the effort to avoid collapsing on top of Levi. When he opened his eyes to look down at the omega he was now knotted with, he found that Levi had a satisfied little smirk on his lips.

"Never heard you roar like that before," gasped Levi. He reached up to comb Erwin's bangs away from his eyes. "You must have really been saving it up."

"That's one way to put it," agreed Erwin breathlessly. He dipped his head to kiss Levi's throat. "Are you all right? I didn't hear you ask me to stop, but—"

"I didn't," assured the omega. "Don't worry. I'm not hurt. Well, no more than can be expected, anyway."

Erwin winced. He'd really gone to town on him, and though Levi was sturdier than he looked, he was still such a small guy. "When this knot goes down," promised Erwin, "I'm going to get you a warm, wet washcloth. Or I can run you a bath with Epsom salt."

"Hmm. A bath might be good," Levi said after some thought. "I'm covered in spunk; most of it mine."

Erwin chuckled. "Ah, bless your candor."

* * *

-To be continued


	16. Chapter 16

Erwin felt guilty the next day. Watching Levi hobble around as he got ready for work made the blond regret having let himself go so much the night before. When he saw the bruises on Levi's thighs, he felt even worse.

"Stop looking like someone stabbed your best friend," advised Levi with a wince, pulling on the trousers he'd chosen for the day. "I'm not dead. Just a little sore."

Erwin sighed, and he finished pulling his shirt on. "I just wasn't expecting the bruising. People are going to see the way you're walking and have questions."

"I'll come up with some excuse if anyone asks," assured Levi. "I'll say I fell down some stairs or something. Can you handle feeding Dylan his breakfast so I don't have to move too much?"

"Yes, of course." Erwin approached him, and he bent over to kiss him softly. "Try to take it easy at work today. Stick to the elevator instead of stairs and don't walk around more than you need to."

"That's already my plan." Levi put his shirt on, and he frowned at the blond. "So about this Kenny business we talked about last night. We need to come up with a plan to lure him in. I'm thinking after I recover enough to stop walking like a claymation character, we need to stage a 'relapse' and get word to him."

"It's a risky proposal, Levi," warned Erwin. "I don't want to put you in any danger."

"You won't be. All we need to do is get him to show up somewhere so I can confront him. Probably need to use some kind of surveillance to get proof, if I can get him to talk to me."

"And how do you think he'll react when he shows up expecting to find you strung out and realizes it was just a ruse?" Erwin pointed out. "He may not be terribly talkative."

"Oh, I think he'll be talkative," countered Levi. "He'll be pissed and he'll have plenty to say. That's what I'm counting on. Kenny runs off at the mouth when he's irate or flustered. He might give something away we can use. If not..." Levi shrugged, "then you'll just have to keep trying to find something on him."

"I don't know," Erwin sighed doubtfully. "Involving a civilian this way in a crime investigation goes against every protocol in the book. It's one thing to testify against a suspect in court, but this puts you directly at risk."

"So you could lose your badge over it," guessed Levi, frowning again. "Shit, I didn't think of that."

Erwin gave the smaller man's shoulders a squeeze. "My badge isn't my primary concern. I would give up this job in a heartbeat for you. It's the possibility that this man is actually guilty of this crime and might do you harm that scares me most of all. He also mentioned Dylan to you in that recording you made, and it's possible that he was making a veiled threat."

"Kenny's a dick, but he wouldn't hurt a kid," insisted Levi.

"From what you've told me of your time under his guardianship, he would."

"That was a different situation. I pushed his buttons and challenged him a lot. Believe me, I asked for every spanking and every punch."

"Levi," said Erwin carefully, " _no_ child 'asks for' that kind of treatment. Would you punch Dylan for misbehaving?"

"No fucking way," answered Levi vehemently. "You should know better."

"I do know better," confirmed Erwin, "but I'm trying to make a point. You're defending your uncle's physical abuse. I know you don't want to believe he would be capable of hurting our son, but you have to look at the facts. Kenny _beat you_ , and whether you swung back or not isn't the issue."

Levi sighed, and he combed his fingers through his hair. "I get it. From your perspective he's a thug and a criminal that beats up little kids. I guess that's true enough, but Dylan's just a baby, not some mouthy teenager with a chip on his shoulder. The only threat from Kenny that I'm worried about is him trying to kidnap the boy to use him as leverage, and that's only if he's really got something to hide."

"That's a danger enough," Erwin stated. "I'm not willing to put my family at risk. I'm sorry Levi; I know that you need closure and I will do everything I can to see that you get it, but the more I think about this, the less I like the plan. The investigation will go on and hopefully, we'll find evidence against him or a lead to another suspect before long. Right now he's being watched, and that's all we can do."

"Damn it, last night you were all for my plan," complained Levi.

"Last night, I was distracted," reminded the alpha. "Today I'm thinking more clearly and I've had the chance to consider the cons to this idea. Let's not argue about this. You need to finish getting ready for work, and I need to get Dylan ready for daycare."

"Fine," grumbled Levi. He rubbed his bottom absently, and he hobbled for the door. "Just remember that the longer it takes for you to get your man, the more likely it is other people are going to die."

"I'm aware of that," sighed Erwin. He believed the man they arrested was the last person on the list of drug traffickers that had dealings with Slater, but there was a remote possibility that it was mere coincidence that the murder victims had supplied him. If Kenny truly was innocent of the killings, then whomever was responsible could simply be targeting drug dealers without any concern for who they supplied to.

If that was the case, the death toll was likely to keep rising.

* * *

Levi attended group meetings once per week, and he found that his withdrawals were coming fewer and further between. He still had cravings to deal with fairly regularly, but they were getting easier for him to manage. His doctor stepped down the dosage of his medications when satisfied that Levi had come far enough along to safely do so. His life was finally getting back on track, and he tried not to let the situation with the serial killer and Kenny's possible guilt distract him too much.

Dylan started talking more, picking up new words as time went by. He didn't abuse his new verbal skills like some children might, however. Most of the time he was quiet, unless he wanted something or needed changing. The latter didn't happen very often, because he was coming along well with the potty training and could now wear pull-up diapers.

Unfortunately, Dylan didn't always make it to the potty on time. One such time, Levi had Mikasa over for dinner and they were just getting ready to sit down with Erwin when the toddler stumbled up to Levi to tug on his pant leg.

"What is it, kid?" Levi put aside the parmesan he was sprinkling on the ziti he and Erwin had made, and he looked down at his child's upturned face. Dylan had that embarrassed look that Levi had become accustomed to seeing under certain circumstances, and he could guess what the matter was before the boy even spoke.

"I had a poopy."

Levi checked a sigh. "Again? You've got to get in the habit of going _before_ it's coming out, not after." Seeing him starting to pout, Levi bent over to scoop him up. "All right, don't start crying. Let's get you to the changing table and see what the damage is."

"We'll get the table set while you do that," offered Mikasa. She gave Dylan a little smile. "It's okay. It even happens to grownups sometimes."

Levi glanced at Erwin when the blond cleared his throat, and he smirked at the memory of that very thing happening to the alpha back when they were fighting the stomach flu. "Yeah, sometimes it does. I'll be right back."

He carried Dylan through the apartment to the boy's bedroom, set him down on the changing table and opened the drawer containing the baby wipes and other diaper changing items. Grimacing at the smell as he pulled the soiled diaper down, Levi tossed it in the bin and started wiping his son off.

"It's not too bad," he informed the baby. "At least it's solid, this time."

The last time had been a real mess, and Levi really couldn't blame Dylan for that because the strained carrots he'd had for lunch had upset his stomach. He dutifully cleaned the child up and applied some talc before putting a fresh diaper on him. With that done, Levi put Dylan down on the floor and collected the bag from the bin with the dirty diaper in it.

"Go ask Daddy to put you in your high chair," Levi instructed, tying the bag tightly.

Dylan crawled out of the bedroom, pulled himself to his feet on the door frame and headed down the hall. Levi watched him for a minute to be sure he wouldn't bang into the side table in the hallway, and then he disposed of the diaper bag in the trash shoot before washing his hands. Erwin had Dylan set up in his high chair by the time Levi finished and joined them at the dinner table.

"Was it soupy?" Erwin asked.

Levi shook his head. "No, it was a solid turd. No orange puree, this time."

Mikasa frowned at her plate of food. "This isn't the kind of discussion I want to be hearing right now."

Erwin laughed, and he wiped away some sauce from Dylan's mouth. "Excuse my manners. I guess Levi and I are just used to discussing things like that now. It hardly phases us."

"Shit!"

All three adults practically gave themselves whiplash turning their heads to look at Dylan when the unexpected word came out of him. His high-pitched voice had blurted it almost gleefully.

"Ah, Dylan," Erwin said after recovering from his shock, "where did you learn that word?"

"I'll give you one guess," Mikasa stated, raising a meaningful brow as she looked straight at Levi.

"Shit," Levi muttered impulsively. "I mean crap."

"Shit!" cried Dylan again. "Shit, shit!"

"Okay," Erwin said, "that's enough, son. You should never say that word again."

"Why?" asked the child with a puzzled look.

"Because..." Erwin cleared his throat and his voice trembled with the threat of laughter, "it's a naughty word that little boys should never say."

Dylan looked at Levi and pointed. "Baba says it."

"Well, Baba shouldn't be saying it either," reasoned Erwin with a faintly chastising glance Levi's way, "especially in front of you. Grownups make mistakes too sometimes and say bad words that they shouldn't. Don't let me catch you saying that again. I don't want to have to wash your mouth out with soap."

Dylan closed his mouth tightly, understanding the threat well enough. Levi sighed and rubbed his forehead when his cousin and mate looked at him with amusement. He'd tried to break the habit of impulsive cussing in front of his son, but he'd lived so long just spouting expletives casually that it was harder than expected.

"Sorry," he muttered to Erwin. "He could have heard me say that word at any given time. I still slip."

"You're just going to have to be more careful, now that he's picking up words so quickly," reasoned Erwin. He forked up some of his food, still smirking a little. "We don't want him talking like a sailor before he's even in preschool."

Levi accepted the admonishment, because there was no doubt in his mind that Dylan had learned that word from him. It was one of Levi's favorites, after all.

* * *

Chris Osprey, the last drug dealer on the list of Slater's suppliers, died two days later in prison. Erwin got the call from Annie while he was out grocery shopping, and he immediately went to the station to find out what happened.

"He got shanked, boss," Mike informed him. "We're looking further into it, but the prison guards said one of the other prisoners came up behind him in the cafeteria and jabbed him in the neck. The prisoner responsible's been confined for questioning."

Erwin sighed, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Where did he get the weapon from?"

"Made it out of a pen, if you can believe that. The guy's on death row for three counts of capital murder. Killed his wife and two kids seven years ago. He's got no chance of getting out of there, so he had nothing to lose."

"Was there an argument between them, or did he just pick Osprey at random?"

"Nobody ever saw anything if there was. It happened so fast the kid was dead before the guards could make it three steps toward them." Mike shrugged. "They didn't find any drugs on either prisoner, so it wasn't related to dealing."

Erwin considered the information carefully. "I want to know if anyone saw an exchange of goods between the culprit and anyone else. I want to find out who he usually talks to, if anyone has been to visit him from the outside and what his relationship is with the guards. If this wasn't brought about by a disagreement and nobody's seen him demonstrate hostility toward Osprey, then we have to assume it wasn't personal."

"You think someone bribed him to kill the guy?"

Erwin nodded. "Based on the information we have so far, I think it's possible. If so, there's a trail that may still be fresh enough to follow to the instigator. It could even be our serial killer."

"This is one slippery bastard," Nanaba said with a shake of her head. "If you're right, he had to either visit the prison himself or sent someone to make the deal for him. We might even have crooked guards in there."

"That's what I want to find out," said Erwin. "I also want details about the attacker, and I want to see if there's any connection at all between him and Kenny Ackerman. If there is, we'll bring him in again and use it as evidence."

"You got it," Mike agreed.

* * *

The prisoner that killed Chris Osprey wasn't cooperative. They questioned him extensively, looked into his background all the way back to his childhood and interviewed everyone that was at the scene. They even offered to try and change his sentence from death row to life in prison if he would talk, but as it turned out, the man was missing his tongue. He'd had it cut off a year ago in an altercation with a couple of other prisoners. Erwin suggested they get him to write the information down instead, but the guy couldn't read, either.

"This is bullshit," groused the blond, tapping away at his computer at home.

"Oi, watch the swearing," Levi advised after coming out of Dylan's room and hearing the expletive. "If I can't say it when the kid's home, neither can you."

"I'm sorry." Erwin lowered his voice. "Is he down for bed?"

"Yeah." Levi turned Erwin's chair around to face him, and he casually straddled his lap. "He was worn out. I guess he played too hard in daycare today. Maybe he didn't hear you."

"Hopefully not," sighed Erwin. He put his hands on the smaller man's waist, needing to get back to what he was doing but reluctant to break the contact. Even in his frustration, he could appreciate the way Levi looked this evening in his black button-up shirt and gray pants.

"So what's got you worked up?" prompted Levi. "The only time I usually hear you cuss is during sex or when you're particularly stressed out."

Erwin didn't want to bring up the serial killings again, but Levi would probably see through any embellishment he tried to come up with. "There was a death yesterday in the prison. The man that we arrested on drug charges to get him off the streets and out of the serial killer's reach was murdered. One of his fellow prisoners stabbed him in the throat, killing him almost instantly."

Levi blinked. "Holy sh—crap. Wasn't that the last guy left that dealt with Slater?"

"It was," confirmed Erwin, "and that means—if our theories are right—there shouldn't be any further killings. It's going to make it harder for us to connect the lines back to the suspect and bring them to justice, so we're running out of time. I'm trying to find out if the man that stabbed Osprey has any past or present connection with your uncle."

"So you think Kenny set this up."

"That's my theory. There was no evidence that the perpetrator of the stabbing had any interactions with Osprey before this incident. That suggests that someone paid him off to do it, but we can't get anything out of him. He's got no tongue and he can't read or write."

"You sure about that?" pressed Levi. "He could just be bluffing about the writing."

"If he is, there's not much we can do about it. Giving him a pen and paper won't amount to anything if he refuses to use it, and I don't know of any way to force someone to write."

Levi frowned. "We could revisit the plan to use me to get to Kenny."

"That's not even an option now," sighed Erwin. "We've already confirmed that Kenny was at home at the time of the murder, and there's no record of him ever visiting that prison. If we can't connect him to the prisoner in any way, then he's going to be in the clear and free to leave town if he wants to. We'll be back to square one in solving this case, with no suspects to pin down."

Levi was obviously troubled by this news, but it was difficult to tell if he was more relieved or disconcerted. He had such mixed feelings and Erwin couldn't blame him. "What happens after that? If you can't find any other suspects, I mean? Will the case eventually be closed?"

"Due to lack of evidence, yes. It wouldn't be the first time we've had to file a case as an unsolved murder. I was just hoping it wouldn't happen while I'm chief."

Levi bit his lip. "And you were so sure Kenny at least knew who was behind them, if he didn't do it himself."

"He's a suspicious person with a motive," excused Erwin, "and after the conversation you had with him, it was easy to see him as our number one suspect. Policemen aren't always right, though. Sometimes criminals get away, and all we can do is continue upholding the law and do our best to avoid it happening again."

Levi nodded in understanding. He sighed, and he leaned in to kiss Erwin on the lips. "You could probably use a drink. You're going to fall back into the habit of overworking yourself if you don't watch it."

"I might be tempted to have a scotch," conceded Erwin. "Will that bother you?"

Levi shook his head with a little frown. "Why would it?"

"Because it's a substance and I wouldn't want you to be tempted."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Idiot. I'm a heroin addict, not an alcoholic. If I was going to turn to booze to cope, I'd have done it by now. I know where you keep the liquor. Figured that out the first time I cleaned this place."

Erwin winced. He'd thought the top shelf of the cabinet over the fridge was a safe enough place to stash the few liquor bottles he had, because Levi was too short to reach it without a step ladder. "I wish I had thought of that from the beginning and put it all in the safe. I know it isn't the same thing, but some addicts trade one habit for another."

"Well, I didn't," assured Levi. "Good point about the habit trading, though. You should see how much damned coffee they go through at the clinic."

Erwin smiled. "Better to get a caffeine habit than to fall back into drugs. I think I'll take your advice and pour myself a glass."

Erwin patted Levi's bottom, prompting him to get off his lap. He went into the kitchen to pour the scotch for himself, and he glanced at his mate when Levi joined him. "Do you want one?"

Levi examined the bottle, sniffed at the liquid Erwin had just poured into the glass and shook his head. "No. I can tell by the smell of it I won't be able to stomach it. Make sure you brush your teeth before we go to bed. I'm not kissing you with the smell of that stuff on your breath."

"Fair enough," agreed Erwin.

* * *

They never found anything connecting Kenny to the guy that killed the dealer in the prison. As such, they were forced to take him off the suspect list. Levi still felt like his uncle was involved in the serial killings, but he had no choice but to let it go.

He was marginally surprised to get a package in the mail the day before Dylan's second birthday. It was from Kenny. Half expecting it to blow up in his face, he brought it inside to open it. Inside the box was a poorly wrapped present and a card.

 _"Thought the kid would like this,"_ said the scrawled writing inside of the card. _"Let bygones be bygones, brat. It'll be a while before we see each other again."_

Still suspicious and wary of what might be hidden under the purple and blue gift wrapping, Levi tore it open. It was a plushy brown dog. Levi examined it carefully for anything sharp or pointed. He knew he was being paranoid and it was ridiculous to think Kenny would hide a razor or needle in the toy, but Levi kept it in mind that he had accused Kenny of murder. The toy was soft, with velvety fur and big brown eyes. He didn't find anything suspicious in it, and Levi shook his head at his own paranoia.

Since he'd already opened it and destroyed the wrapping paper, Levi decided to give it to Dylan as an early birthday gift. He went into the living room where the baby was playing on the floor with his toy train. "Here you go, kid," Levi said to him, bending over to give the plushy to him.

"Doggie!" Dylan reached eagerly for it, dropping his train in the process.

"Yeah, it's a doggie," agreed Levi with the barest hint of a smile. "Take good care of him. He came from your Uncle Kenny."

Dylan's face screwed up in confusion. "Kenny?"

Levi squatted before him, nodding. "You've never met him. He's...kind of a long-distance uncle."

His own statement gave Levi pause, and he thought of the words written on the inside of the birthday card. How _much_ of a long-distance uncle would Kenny end up being? What did he mean by saying it would be a while before they saw each other again? Maybe he just meant that he didn't plan to come around and visit, but Levi felt like there was more to it than that. Some hidden meaning, perhaps.

He went back to the kitchen and read the card again, pondering it. Erwin wouldn't like it if he paid Kenny a visit, even after he was cleared of charges. He didn't want Levi around him, especially after finding out how Kenny raised him. Erwin hadn't exactly tried to _forbid_ any contact with Kenny, but there was no doubt in Levi's mind that he would have some choice things to say about it, particularly if Levi took Dylan with him.

Locating his phone, Levi went through his contact list. It was Friday, so Mikasa would be at work. No good trying to call her for a last minute babysitting request. Eren might be available for a while, though. He worked mostly nights.

"Hey Eren, it's Levi. Listen, something's come up and I need someone to take care of Dylan for a couple of hours. You at home?"

"Sorry Levi, I'm working a different shift today. I wish I could help you out."

Levi sighed. "All right. I'll just check around. Thanks anyway."

* * *

Erwin got the text message from Levi letting him know that he might not be there when he got home, and that he had Isabel coming over to watch Dylan. That didn't particularly worry him. He just assumed Levi was running errands that would be easier to do without having the baby with him. He didn't have his own car yet, so Levi used public transit to get around when Erwin wasn't there to drive him somewhere.

He made it home after five, carrying a bag of takeout with him for dinner. He greeted Isabel when he saw her sitting on the couch reading one of Dylan's books to him, and he went into the kitchen to set out the food he'd brought.

"Do you like fish and chips, Isabel?" he called. "I picked some up on the way home so we wouldn't need to cook."

"Oh, yeah! I love fish and chips. Thank you, Erwin."

He smiled at her as she joined him in the kitchen, carrying his son. "Thank you for coming to watch Dylan on such short notice. I didn't know Levi had plans today that couldn't include him."

"It's no problem. All I was doing was sitting around the house reading cheap romance. Oh, are those crab claws?"

Erwin nodded. "Help yourself. Has Dylan eaten already?"

"No, Levi said he doesn't usually get fed until around six. I didn't want to mess up the schedule by feeing him too soon."

"I appreciate your consideration. You can put him in his playpen while we eat." Erwin selected some of the food for his own plate, and he squeezed a lemon wedge over his breaded fish. "Did Levi happen to mention where he was going? He didn't mention it to me in his text."

"He said he was going to go clear something up. I don't know what. Maybe something to do with work?"

"I see." Erwin looked at the playpen on the kitchen floor, and he noticed a new toy in there. "Did you give him that?"

"Hmm?" she swallowed a bite of fish, politely confused.

"The dog," Erwin elaborated with a nod at the plushy that Dylan was cuddling. "I've never seen it before."

"Oh, that." Isabel shrugged. "No, I can't take credit for that. My gift for his birthday party is at home. Levi said his uncle sent that dog."

Erwin's mild expression tightened. "His uncle Kenny?"

She nodded. "Yeah. That's the only uncle he's got, as far as I know. He said it came in a package earlier today with a card."

"Where is the card?"

Isabel took a hasty step back in response to Erwin's sudden intensity. "Uh, geez, I don't know. What's the matter?"

Erwin didn't answer. He searched around the kitchen, and when he find a card lying on any of the surfaces, he checked the garbage under the sink. Inside, he found a crumpled ball of gift wrapping, and he pushed that aside and located the birthday card. He took it out of the trash and read the message written inside of it, brows furrowing with agitation. Isabel sidled cautiously up to him to have a look herself, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Bygones be bygones?" she read aloud. "I wonder what that's supposed to mean? Did Levi and his uncle have another fight recently?"

"Something like that," Erwin answered absently. He narrowed his eyes. "What time did Levi call you to ask you over?"

"About three thirty-ish, I guess. I got here after four and we talked for a few minutes, then he left."

"Do you know what time this gift arrived?"

"Beats me," she answered. "He must have just gotten it, because he was throwing the card away when I got here."

Erwin put the card down on the counter. "Don't throw that away, please. Isabel, I hate to ask, but would you mind watching Dylan for a while longer? Something's come up that I need to check into."

"Uh, okay." she was obviously brimming with questions, but she avoided asking them. Probably because Erwin was in full alpha mode now, and even as a beta Isabel could probably smell his scent growing stronger. The wild scent alphas gave off when angry or aroused tended to intimidate some betas.

"How much longer?" was the only question she dared to ask.

"I'm not sure. I'll try to make it under two hours. Dylan can have some fries with his dinner, but don't feed him any of the fish in case of bones. He can have some Beanie Weenies instead. There are cans of it in the pantry. I should be back before his bedtime, but if not, he goes down at eight."

"Got it." She gave the thumbs-up.

Erwin got out his phone. "Thank you for this. I'll call you when I have a clear idea of how long I'm going to be." He dug out his wallet and fished out some currency to drop it hastily on the counter. "Here's some money for your trouble."

"Oh, you don't have to pay me—"

"Consider it a gesture of thanks for putting up with this," he insisted. He headed out of the kitchen and to the front door, and he paused after opening it to call out one last thing. "Emergency numbers are on the fridge. Thank you again, Isabel."

Erwin hurried down the hall while manipulating his phone in one hand and grabbing his car keys out of his pocket with his other. He tried to call Levi, and he got his voicemail. "Levi, it's me. When you get this message, call me back immediately."

He didn't know what else to say, so he ended it at that. He didn't want to leave an accusing message. That was the sort of thing an overbearing tyrant would do, and Erwin was trying very hard not to be intrusive. Yes, he had greater cause than most other alphas to keep an eye on his mate, but certain limits had to be maintained.

That being said, he had a terrible feeling in his gut. He could be wrong, but the timing of the gift arrival, Levi's hasty call for a babysitter and his explanation that he had to "take care of something" to Isabel were all suspicious. Kenny's message on the card also had an ominous feel to it. Erwin had to be sure he wasn't just jumping to conclusions. He made another call after getting into his car, this time to Nanaba.

"Hi, it's me. Do me a favor, would you? Text me Kenny Ackerman's address. You still have it on file, right?"

"Um, yes Chief," she answered. "What do you need it for? Did you find something on him that we missed?"

"I just need to confirm something," he said. "This isn't an arrest attempt."

"All right, but the sound of your voice has me worried. Should I send some squad cars just in case?"

"No, it shouldn't be necessary." God, he _hoped_ it wouldn't be, but that depended on what he found out when he got there. "Just send me the address. If it comes to anything serious, I'll call it in."

"Okay Chief. Be careful."

* * *

"Look what the cat dragged in." Kenny regarded Levi with some surprise when he answered the door. "Should I be frisking you for wires this time?"

"No, I've got no reason to use one now. You've been cleared and it was a misunderstanding."

"Hmph. I think I'll search you anyway before I let you in, if it's all the same to you."

Levi's jaw clenched. He didn't like the thought of any alpha laying hands on his body besides Erwin; not even his uncle. "A little paranoid, aren't you? One might think you're worried about saying something incriminating."

"I just don't like my privacy invaded," excused Kenny. He flicked his cigarette butt off the porch and opened the door wider. "Come on in. It'll only take me a few seconds to frisk you."

Levi nearly turned away then, but he needed to know what was going on. He walked in, put his hands against the wall and allowed the taller man to run his hands over his body and pat him down. "Satisfied?" he snapped when it was over with.

"Good enough. So what brings you here again, kid? I didn't think you'd ever come by willingly again."

Levi looked around, and he noticed that there were boxes everywhere. "What you wrote on the card you sent. The part about us not seeing each other for a while. I guess that means you're moving?"

Kenny took a seat on the couch, stretching his legs out. "Not exactly. I'm going away for a while, so I'm boxing up some breakables and shit to keep 'em in good condition. There's a lot of heirlooms in this old house, and most of 'em were meant for you."

Levi frowned at him. "I don't get it."

"What don't you get? I'm looking after your inheritance, brat. Yours and your son's. I pulled down a lot of shit from the attic I forgot was even up there."

"You aren't making any fucking sense," Levi accused, taking a seat on the now covered armchair he'd always liked. "Why are you boxing everything up if you're not moving? Where are you going and what do you plan to do with the stuff you're boxing up? Are you hinting that you want to give it to me?"

Kenny shrugged. "Your Mom would have wanted it that way."

"But where are you going?" Levi demanded, fast losing patience. Was Kenny in some kind of new trouble Levi didn't yet know about? Was he going on a vacation? This was so strange. "Are you going on the lam or something? Scared the police will come after you again? You've been cleared, but if you skip town all the sudden it's probably going to make you look suspicious."

Kenny looked at him, cocking his head a little. "So now you think I'm innocent?"

Levi shrugged. "They didn't find any evidence on you. None of the bullets matched your gun. Besides, it was stupid of me to think you'd actually kill for me. Whatever motive that serial killer has for doing it, It's got nothing to do with me."

"Huh. Changed your tune pretty fast. How'd the kid like my gift?"

"Don't change the subject," snapped Levi. "Tell me what the hell is really going on here."

"What's really going on here? I'm getting ready to do time, that's what's going on."

Levi's brows pinched. "For what? What did you do this time?"

Kenny got up, paced the room for a minute and then bent over Levi to look him in the eye. "Who says I used my own gun?"

It didn't immediately click with Levi because he was so confused. His expression went blank and his eyes widened when he realized what Kenny was saying. "No."

Kenny straightened up again, and he picked up his hat off the back of the couch. Putting it on his head, he got out another cigarette and lit it up. "I appreciate you coming to see me, brat. Warms my cockles. The truth of the matter is you were right. I wasn't just making conversation to ya that day. I wanted you to know every one of those fuckers paid for their part in what happened to you. Every. Last. One."

This was surreal. First Levi had been so sure Kenny was guilty, and just when he let that suspicion go and tried to let go of past resentment, this happened. "But the guy in the prison," he said, mouth going dry, "the one that got killed by another inmate. You couldn't have done that. You weren't anywhere near the facility when it happened, and the police couldn't trace the guy that did it back to you."

"Had a little help with that," admitted Kenny. "It just so turns out I knew another guy that wanted that guy dead, so I guess technically you can say I'm innocent of that one. All I did was tell him where to find him. Didn't have to lift a finger."

"But the others you did kill?"

"Yeah, and I'd do it again. Don't pretend you didn't know I was capable of it, and don't worry about what's gonna happen to me. I'm a survivor."

"Not if you get the fucking chair or lethal injection, you won't be." Levi put his hands on his knees and took a deep breath. He looked up at his uncle again, and he couldn't mask the angst in his eyes. "Why now? Why did you tell me this now, of all times? Are you expecting them to come and get you? Did someone else turn you in?"

"I'm turning _myself_ in," Kenny informed.

Levi went still, blinking at him. "I don't believe it. You've skirted responsibility for your actions for as long as I've known you."

"Well, believe it." Kenny went over to the desk, opened up a drawer and took out a revolver. He held it out so Levi could see it. "This is the gun I used to do it. I won it in a game. At first my plan was to frame the guy I won it from, but then the stupid asshole got himself killed in a car accident. So much for that plan. I put it away somewhere safe and sound after each use. That's why the cops didn't find it; it wasn't here to begin with."

Kenny spun the revolver, checked the safety and resumed talking. "Anyhow, I guess I wanted to do one decent thing in my lifetime before I'm gone. Fuck knows, I didn't do right by your Mom or you. Taking vengeance out on those drug dealers was the first step. Turning myself in now that they're gone is the second one."

"You could have gotten away with it," Levi whispered. "They had nothing on you. If you hadn't told me this, I'd have gone on thinking I made a mistake by suspecting you. Now if you decide to run, I've got to go to the authorities with this."

"Don't worry kid, I've made up my mind and I'm not going to flake out." Kenny waved the gun. "You just go home to your kid and—Holy goddamn!"

Levi jumped at his uncle's sudden outburst, and he turned around to see what Kenny was looking at to make him yell like that. Through the window, Levi could see Erwin smith standing on the porch, taking aim at Kenny with his gun. Kenny dropped like a stone just as the glass broke and a shot fired at him. The bullet intended for him struck the vase on the mantle behind him, shattering it.

"Erwin, stop!" Levi put himself between his mate and his uncle before the blond could fire a second shot.

"Move aside, Levi," commanded Erwin, keeping his eyes trained on where Kenny had hit the floor. "He had a gun on you. He gets no warning."

"He wasn't aiming it at me," Levi explained in a rush. "He was just showing it to me. Put the fucking gun away, this is a misunderstanding."

"Oi," Kenny called from the floor, "Take it easy! I'm gonna slide my gun away and get up real slow. I know you don't want it on your ledger that you shot and unarmed man, Chief. Especially your own omega's family member."

Erwin glanced at Levi, and he kept his gun aimed. "When you've put your gun out of reach and get up slowly, I'll lower my weapon. Levi, move aside _now_."

Levi's knees were going weak from the stress of all this. He obeyed his alpha's demand, stepping off to the right slowly. That coldness in Erwin's eyes...he'd never seen it before. Was that the face Erwin wore when he shot and killed Derrick Slater? He tensed, fearful that Erwin was going to gun down his uncle despite the compromise he'd agreed to. Levi didn't breathe again until Erwin finally lowered the gun.

"Levi, open the door for me."

Levi went to the door, turned the bolt locks and opened the door as directed. He stepped back when Erwin came in, his shoes crunching on shards of broken glass. He kept a sharp eye on Kenny while he went to examine the gun.

"New weapon?"

"Not really," said Kenny with a shrug, still holding his hands up. "I've got to give you credit; you scared the shit out of me when you popped up at my window all the sudden."

Erwin ignored him. He looked to Levi, and the ice in his gaze finally melted. He spoke in that calming tone of voice he'd used when he first met Levi in the basement. "I was afraid you would come here when I found the toy and the card he sent. I thought it might have prompted you to go through with the plan you came up with while your uncle was still a suspect."

"That isn't why I came," Levi told him. "I came to find out what Kenny meant in the message he wrote in that card. I wondered if he was going on the lam."

"And what happened? From my perspective, it certainly looked like he was waving that gun at you."

"Just showing it to me," reiterated Levi. He turned to look at the older Ackerman, and he was torn. Erwin mustn't have overheard any of what Kenny had said to him. If Levi told him, it would cinch Kenny's arrest. If he didn't, Kenny might change his mind and decide to run after all. It would be a case of Levi's word against his.

"Why was he showing it to you?" Erwin asked. "That's a strange thing to do after you recorded your conversation with him and turned it in. Most people would see that as a threatening gesture."

"I...he was telling me he's going away for a while." Levi realized that didn't explain about the gun, and he started to panic. His breath was hitching, and Erwin's expression became one of concern.

"Levi, what did he do to you?"

"N-nothing," insisted the omega. "He just...shit, I can't...breathe."

"All right kid, obviously you can't dob me in a second time without it fucking with your conscience," Kenny said. "I was showing him the gun because it's the one I used to kill those drug dealers that supplied his rapist with heroin. I was making some arrangements and preparing to turn myself in when shorty here popped up asking questions."

Erwin's eyes widened. "You're confessing to the murders? All of them?

Levi sat down again, his knees giving out. It was too late for Kenny to back out now. He'd admitted his guilt to an officer of the law.

"All except the last one. That one wasn't me."

"And do you know who it was?" Erwin questioned.

"I might. I'm not saying anything else without a lawyer, though."

"That's probably wise," agreed Erwin.

* * *

It was over. Erwin called for a squad car, read Kenny his rights and handcuffed him. Officers arrived to collect the evidence and take Kenny in to be booked. Levi sat on the porch outside after they drove off with his uncle. Erwin sat down beside his mate and put an arm around him.

"I'm sorry. For your sake, I would have liked for him to be innocent. This isn't the final closure I wanted for you."

"I know," Levi murmured. "To think, I wouldn't have known until he went to prison, if I hadn't come here today."

"I don't understand why he did this," Erwin puzzled, rubbing Levi's shoulder comfortingly. "He could have gotten far away from here and out of our reach without anyone being the wiser. Did he give you an explanation for why he's turning himself in?"

"He tried to, but it didn't make much sense. Kind of like everything else he says. He claimed he wanted to do something decent before he dies and to him, that something was to kill those people for supplying the heroin Slater forced on me. As for why he's turning himself in, I guess he figures his job is done, now that they're all dead. Maybe he just did it because he's bored and wants the challenge of prison life. It's hard to tell with him."

"I see. Well, whatever his reason, he's going to face life."

"Yeah." Levi lowered his head. "If he doesn't get the death penalty."

"I don't think he will."

Levi looked at Erwin. "I think _Kenny_ thinks he will. All those boxes in the house are full of stuff he's been packing up because he wanted me to have it. He said it's my inheritance and I should have gotten it sooner. I'm not even sure what all is in them."

"Your mother didn't have a will?"

Levi shook his head. "Once the cancer spread, it made her too sick too fast. I don't think she got a chance to write one up, and that's why Kenny's trying to give it all to me. I don't know what's going to happen with the house. If he's going away for life, the bank will probably end up auctioning it off."

"Unless he left it to you," reasoned Erwin. "It sounds like he's been preparing for this for a while now."

"I guess."

Erwin twisted to look back into the house through the open door. "What will you want to do with it, if that's the case?"

"I don't know. I don't have a lot of fond memories of living in this place. Maybe I'd sell it, or maybe I'd rent it out. It depends on how much it would cost to have some work done on it to fix shit that's been falling apart."

Erwin nodded. "It does need some work, but it has potential."

Levi rubbed his temples. "I don't want to think about this right now. I don't even know what all he was leaving me. I can't deal with that right now."

"Let's lock the place up and get you home," suggested Erwin. "The boards we nailed over that window should be enough to keep intruders out until it's replaced. I'll have someone come and check on the place regularly. You don't have to rush into doing anything."

Levi got up, picked up the house keys Kenny had left for him and secured all of the door locks. He walked with Erwin to the alpha's car, and Levi wanted a fix. He hadn't had any cravings for almost two weeks, but the stress was triggering it.

"Erwin, do you happen to have any of my medication with you?" Levi asked.

The blond looked at him, fastened his seatbelt and shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I left it in the usual place at home. Can you hang in there until we make it back, or is this an emergency?"

Levi rubbed his arms uncertainly. "It isn't an emergency yet. I may need more than the dose I've been taking lately, though. It might not be enough."

"I'll call your doctor for advice on that," promised Erwin. He reached out to rub Levi's knee. "It's going to be all right."

Levi settled back against the seat, trying to combat the jitters. He'd learned some meditation techniques that sometimes eased the cravings. He closed his eyes and tried one of them, slowing his breathing rhythm deliberately and trying to relax his whole body. It wasn't easy, but he managed to at least stop the jitters from getting worse.

Erwin helped Levi out of the car when they arrived at the apartment building. They saw Isabel off and thanked her for babysitting, checked on Dylan and got Levi his dose of medication. The doctor advised Erwin not to give him extra methadone because they were trying to wean Levi off of it slowly. Instead, he recommended an additional half a xanax pill to help with the anxiety.

Once he got him medicated and settled into bed, Erwin joined him and pulled him close. Levi was shivering a little, though not as bad as he used to in the beginning. The blond murmured against his hair, his lips brushing across his forehead.

"Just relax," encouraged Erwin. "You're doing good."

"Don't you ever get tired of coaching me through these things?" Levi whispered.

"No. If it helps you, I'll do it for the rest of our lives if I need to."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Levi said seriously. He didn't want to need a caregiver for the rest of his life, though now he was mostly independent again. He tilted his head back to look at Erwin. "Is there anything I can do for you? I mean besides suck you off 'till you're cross-eyed and wear those lace briefs you like so much."

Erwin smiled at him, and he shook his head. "You already do plenty for me, Levi. You keep the place spotless, you pitch in on bills, you take turns cooking and you've given me emotional support on more than one occasion. Of course the sex is amazing, too. I'm very happy."

Levi accepted that answer, because he could sense Erwin's sincerity through their link. Levi's issues might worry his alpha at times, but he never picked up on any resentment from the man. Levi closed his eyes again, pressed his face into Erwin's chest and waited for the medication to take the edge off. Erwin kept rubbing his back and speaking softly to him, and eventually his voice lulled the omega to sleep.

* * *

-To be continued


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like another double-whammy since I finished editing another chapter today. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I'm currently running on fumes, so I'd rather upload a second chapter on the same date than skip a day. :-)

When Levi recovered the next day, he called up Mikasa to confirm she and Eren could still make it to Dylan's birthday party. He didn't have time to feel sorry for himself; there were things to do. Because this was a family matter with Kenny, he asked Mikasa to come an hour earlier than the party was scheduled to start. She asked him if he needed help setting up, and he told her to just come because he had something he needed to talk to her about.

Once he took care of that, Levi gave Dylan a bath, got tidied up himself and changed his clothes. He called Erwin to let him know he and Dylan were both ready to be picked up, and he waited for his mate to arrive. Erwin had gone ahead of them to the park they were throwing the party at, so that he could get the gazebo set up while Levi got their son ready. It wasn't going to be a big gathering, really. The only kid that would be there would be Dylan, because Levi and Erwin didn't have any friends yet with kids of their own. The guest list consisted of friends, coworkers and family.

Erwin showed up for them by eleven o'clock, and the family piled into his sedan to go and pick up the food for the barbecue and the birthday cake. Levi was quiet the whole time, introspective despite his determination to make this day about Dylan rather than the events of the night before. Erwin glanced at him as they pulled up to a parking spot outside the park.

"How are you feeling?" questioned the alpha. "You've been very quiet."

"I know. I just can't think of much to say right now, and I'm mentally reviewing how I'm going to tell Mikasa the news."

"You could save it for later," suggested Erwin. "I know it's still fresh on your mind. Just try to enjoy yourself at the party and put aside telling her for another day."

Levi met his gaze sidelong, and he raised a brow. "I think I learned my lesson the last time I procrastinated in telling her about family issues. She gets pissed when she's kept in the dark."

Erwin grimaced. "That's a valid point." He'd been there when Levi showed up at her door after a year of being gone with no contact. "Well, just try not to let it stress you overtly. If you want, I could talk to her instead."

Levi almost took him up on that. Erwin was good at talking to people, at explaining situations in a calm and clear way. He decided against it with a sigh. "Thanks, but this is an Ackerman family issue. I should be the one to tell her, or at least give her a summary of it. You can handle the details if I start getting jittery."

"That sounds like a fair compromise to me."

Erwin got out of the car, and he retrieved the cooler from the trunk to load it with ice and groceries. Meanwhile Levi retrieved Dylan, put him in his stroller and made sure the shade was down on it to protect him from the sun.

"Have you got all that?" Levi asked dubiously of his partner, watching him put the cake on top of the cooler lid to avoid crushing it.

"Yes, I can manage. I'll come back for the other cooler once we get this one set up by the table. I'm right behind you."

Levi shrugged, and he pushed the stroller down the footpath through the park. He saw the gazebo they'd reserved coming into view up on the left. It was near the pond, and Erwin had decorated it with balloons and streamers. The four picnic tables beneath it were covered with party-themed tablecloths, and one of them was stocked with picnic utensils, plates and napkins. It was a nice spread. Levi had to give Erwin credit for how he'd laid it all out.

"What do you think?" asked Erwin softly, joining him underneath the gazebo.

"Looks good," answered Levi. "You brought the crock pot, right?"

"Yes, and the mesquite chips are already set up by the grill. If you can get the meatball hors d'oeuvres started in the crock pot, I'll bring everything else up from the car and set up the barbecue."

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Levi. He first set down Dylan's supply bag and got out his sippy cup, which he filled with juice from the cooler Erwin opened up. He gave the child his drink to keep him hydrated and occupied, and he got to work.

* * *

Mikasa arrived with Eren just before noon, as agreed. Levi took her aside while Eren started helping Erwin lay out the cold snack trays. The cousins found a quiet spot at a bench under the shade of the trees, and Levi sat down with her.

"Kenny's been arrested."

Mikasa raised a brow at him, but that was the only expression of surprise she displayed. "I see. What did he do, get into a fight and hospitalize someone?"

"He's being charged with four counts of murder," answered Levi.

Mikasa blinked slowly, and then she frowned. "It's a mistake. Mistaken identity."

"No, it isn't."

Levi took a deep breath, and he explained to her what had been happening for the past few months with the serial killings and Kenny ending up being a suspect. He told her that he recorded a conversation with him that incriminated him, but it wasn't enough evidence to hold up in a court of law. He told her they had to clear him as a suspect after investigating and finding nothing to pin on him, and then he told her about his visit with Kenny the night before.

"All this time, he had the gun they were trying to match up to the bullets," explained Levi. "I don't know where he stashed it when they searched his house, but he showed it to me while I was there. Erwin showed up and damned near shot him, thinking he was aiming the gun at me."

Levi went on to explain Kenny's supposed reason for killing those people and his decision to turn himself in once they were all in the grave. "I don't get his reasoning," sighed the omega in conclusion. "It gives me a headache to try and understand it, so I'm not going to try right now. I just wanted you to know, since he's your blood too."

Mikasa kept silent for a few moments, mulling it over. Finally, her lovely features darkened with an angry expression. "And he chose to pull this shit right before your son's birthday. That bastard."

"I don't think he was going to turn himself in last night," reasoned Levi. "He probably intended to wait until after Dylan's birthday...maybe send a letter to me or have his lawyer get in touch. I showed up at his house because something in his comment in the birthday card didn't sit right with me. I thought he was getting ready to move locations. I suspect he only told me because I showed up and started interrogating him, and he decided to turn himself in because of Erwin tracking me down there."

Levi shrugged. "I froze up. Couldn't tell Erwin what I'd learned, and he was demanding an explanation. That's when Kenny came clean. He went quietly with them when they showed up to take him...more or less. He's been making arrangements for me to get some of Mom's things. I don't know what else he was planning to hand down to me."

Mikasa sighed, and she looked away in thought. "I suppose there's some good in that man after all. I've often wondered, but it was hard to see."

"I guess so," said Levi softly. "Anyway, now you know. I'd appreciate it if you'd keep it under your hat for a while. I know you'll want to bring it up to Eren and your nerdy friend Armin, but let's not make it a party subject."

"Of course," she assured him. "Are you...okay?"

He shrugged. "I'll make it. I got the shakes last night after it was all over, but I brought meds with me today in case it starts happening again. Just when I think I've licked it, shit like this comes along and stresses me out."

"Then don't think about it for the rest of the day," she instructed. "Focus on Dylan, enjoy the socialization and put Kenny's situation on the back shelf."

"Yeah, that's my plan."

* * *

The party was a moderate success. All of the guests showed up. The list included Mike, Nanaba, Annie, Hange, Gunther, Isabel, Farlan and Armin in addition to Eren and Mikasa. Erwin made burgers and barbecued chicken and shrimp. Mike brought sausages and grilled them up as well. Nanaba made a crack about Mike's sausage being the best, and the insinuation wasn't lost on anyone. People laughed while Mike flushed and said he had no comment.

None of the officers brought up Kenny out of respect for Levi, and for that, Erwin was thankful. He watched his mate covertly as the party went on, smiling when Levi helped Dylan unwrap gifts, and frowning when the omega got a faraway look in his eyes and a subtly sad expression on his face.

Levi liked to play it tough, but he was mortal like anyone else. He was good at masking his pain. Erwin doubted anyone else save Mikasa noticed his somber moments, because Levi was careful to step away and busy himself with something else when they happened. Erwin could feel his angst through the bond they shared, and he did his best to keep Levi distracted without smothering him.

There was a lot of extra food left over when the party ended, so they divvied it up between everyone so they all got to take some home as leftovers. The baked beans Hange brought turned out particularly good, but they had the unfortunate side effect of giving Erwin gas. He discovered this fact on the way home. Levi was driving because Erwin had drank a few beers, and the omega glanced sharply at him when he heard a raucous fart come from him.

"Sorry," muttered Erwin, embarrassed. "It was the beans."

"Heh. The beer probably didn't help either."

Levi's little sidelong smile at him made it worth the indignant moment. Erwin's gaze softened on the omega, and he patted his side pocket unconsciously. Good. The object was still there. He'd had it for a few days now, but the timing was never right to present it to Levi. Maybe there _was_ no such thing as ideal timing in their lives. The drama seemed to keep coming, and if he wanted to go through with this, he thought he might just have to see it as something good in the midst of all the bad.

Erwin kept his thoughts to himself. While Levi was driving certainly wasn't the proper time.

* * *

Dylan was so tuckered out from the party that by the time they made it home, he was cranky and tired. Since he'd had an early dinner, Erwin just gave him a snack of some yogurt and fruit.

"I think someone needs to go to bed early," suggested the blond to Levi as he wiped Dylan's face off and lifted him out of his high chair. The boy was fussing and squirming between yawns.

"Yeah, he had a big day." Levi set down the last of Dylan's birthday gifts on the kitchen counter, to be sorted out and put away later. "The kid got passed around like a parcel today."

"Everyone wanted a chance to hold him." Erwin smiled, and he bounced Dylan gently. "He's irresistible, just like his papa."

Levi bit his lip. It was meant as a compliment, but being considered irresistible wasn't necessarily a good thing. There were evils in the world that Levi couldn't protect Dylan from forever, and if he grew up to be an omega, those dangers would be even greater.

"Did I say something wrong?" pressed Erwin, noticing the smaller man's sudden somberness.

"No. I was just mentally organizing where we're going to put all of his new schwag. I don't think all of the toys are going to fit in his toybox."

"We can donate some of the older ones he doesn't play with anymore to charity. Shh, Dylan. We know you're tired." Erwin patted the baby's back, trying to soothe him when he started crying again.

"I think it's because you suggested getting rid of some of his toys," Levi stated with a suspicious look at the child. "He understands most of what people say now, Erwin."

"Ah, right." Erwin looked down at the boy, and he smiled at him. "Don't worry, Dylan. Daddy was just joking. None of your toys are going away."

That seemed to comfort the child somewhat. He settled down and rested his cheek against Erwin's chest.

"I'll put him to bed," offered Erwin. "I'd like to speak with you afterwards, though."

Levi tilted his head. "What about? Not the case again, I hope. I don't want to think about that anymore today."

"No, it has nothing to do with that," Erwin assured him. "This is about us."

"Okay. Sure." Levi watched him go, and his brows tightened. Erwin was nervous. Levi didn't think he was considering ending their relationship or living apart, but whatever it was he wanted to say to him had him anxious. Maybe he wanted Levi to reconsider having his sterilization procedure reversed. Maybe now that they were a mated pair, fairly stabilized and Dylan was getting more independent, he wanted another child. Erwin was, Levi had discovered, a family man. That was part of the reason he'd suffered so many doubts when they first got together.

He decided to make himself a cup of chamomile tea to steady his nerves while he waited for Erwin to finish with Dylan and rejoin him. Levi was stirring some honey into it when Erwin came back into the kitchen. The alpha took a seat next to him on one of the counter island bar stools, and he watched Levi with contemplative blue eyes.

"So, you wanted to talk," reminded Levi. "Right now you're just staring holes through me."

"I'm trying to think of how to begin. Levi, we've been through a lot together in the time we've known each other. It's been almost three years since we met, and in that time I've seen you go through so many changes. You started out as a traumatized, feral thing that could barely remember how to speak. Then you became a father and sacrificed that position for the good of your son. I think you knew you were heading for a fall, and you didn't see a way out of it."

Levi remembered that dark time in his life all too well. "Fair enough. We've talked about that before. What are you getting at?"

"Patience. Anyway, you came back. You fought a battle that most people couldn't hope to win; not just with drugs, but with your inner demons. You've proven yourself stronger than anyone I've ever known, and—"

"You're giving me too much credit," interrupted Levi, feeling his throat closing up. His eyes were starting to sting. Damn Erwin and his way with words, anyway. "I had help."

"Only because you were willing to seek it out," reasoned Erwin. "What I'm trying to say is that I've seen you transform into this beautiful, strong man you are now when you could have given up long ago. I love you, and I can't see myself with anyone else. Let's make it legally official."

Erwin pulled something out of his pocket, and Levi stared down at a felt jewelry box in the man's big palm. "What's that, cufflinks?"

Erwin smiled. "I think you know what it is." He opened up the box to display a twisted silver band, studded with green gems. It was a men's engagement ring. Levi had seen them advertised online while surfing the web or looking things up.

"You want me to marry you." It wasn't a question. He could feel the intent behind it now, and the ring was a glaring confirmation.

"Yes, I want you to marry me. I know things are strained for you right now, and we may not get any peaceful times for a while to come. I would rather do this now and take some happiness for ourselves than wait for the storm to settle. What do you say?"

Levi flicked his gaze up from the ring, meeting Erwin's hopeful eyes. He looked down at the ring again, swallowed and held his left hand out, fingers spread. He watched as Erwin picked up the band and slipped it over his finger. It was a little loose, but it could be adjusted.

"All right," Levi whispered. He caught and held Erwin's gaze again, and his vision blurred. Hastily, he scrubbed at his eyes with his palms. "Shit, you got me worked up with all your damned poetry."

Strong arms went round him, and Levi leaned into his lover's embrace and pushed his face against Erwin's chest to hide his tears. Erwin stroked his hair and kissed the crown of his head, releasing the tense breath he must have been holding.

"I'm sorry for making you cry. This was supposed to be a happy moment."

Levi sniffed and turned his face up. "It is. You just 'hit me in the feelbox', as Isabel would say."

Erwin chuckled, and the sound was suspiciously unsteady. Levi didn't call attention to it. He just pushed his face against his chest again, held him back and waited for them to both calm down emotionally.

* * *

That night, Levi made love to Erwin. It was the only way the alpha could describe the encounter. He pleasured him orally first, let Erwin finger him and then rode him with slow, sinuous motions. He took his time with it, and his lidded silvery gaze held Erwin's steadily while he undulated on him. He used his inner muscles in ways Erwin had never experienced with a lover before Levi, and when he came, Levi stayed seated on him and kissed him while he recovered. Then the omega did it again. A third time after that, some fifteen minutes after Erwin's second climax.

Levi arrived twice during the encounter, and when he was finished, he still remained in place on him. He fell asleep like that, straddling Erwin and lying on his chest. It amazed the alpha that Levi could possibly be comfortable with his dick up his ass like that, but omegas were made to join with alphas.

Erwin eventually nodded off as well, but when he awoke early in the morning he found that Levi was still crashed on top of him...sill holding him inside of him. The intimacy and symbolism of it struck Erwin as he stared down at the top of Levi's dark head. They were connected and Levi was content to sleep that way with him all night long. It was so sweet to Erwin that he felt a little bad when he started firming up inside of his omega.

"Levi," he whispered, hoping the man wouldn't be irate when he woke up to find himself still impaled. He traced the pale features, his fingertip skimming over Levi's cute little nose, then his lips. His jaw clenched, and he considered trying to dislodge his companion without waking him.

Erwin's hips started to move gingerly, of their own accord. It felt too good to resist. In the stillness of their connection, Levi had molded around his length like a second skin. It slid easily inside of him, and Erwin's hands began to wander. He traced Levi's spine, and then he slid his hand between their bodies, seeking out a nipple. He rubbed it in a circular motion, his lips softly kissing Levi's forehead. Levi made a breathy little sound of pleasure, but he didn't wake.

"I'm going to hell," whispered Erwin to himself, even as he continued to gently thrust beneath the omega. He risked triggering him by doing this. Clear consent had always been a practice between them, but Levi felt so amazing and warm, his body firm and his skin as soft as satin against Erwin's. The blond whispered his name again, his breath catching.

Thick lashes fluttered against Erwin's chest. A moan escaped Levi's mouth. He lifted his head and opened his eyes to peer at the blond in confusion. Awareness came to Levi seconds later, and his breath hitched. His eyes lost focus on the next careful thrust, his pleasure shooting through the link to reach Erwin, enhancing his own.

"Hi," greeted Erwin, caressing his face. "Is this okay, love? We were like this when I woke up. I couldn't hold still."

Levi nodded, his initial surprise wearing off. He splayed his hands over Erwin's chest and lay his head against it again, gasping and moaning softly as he was taken from below. "I sort of...initiated it," he breathed. "Falling asleep on you like that."

"I don't mind at all," Erwin assured him huskily. "This was a wonderful way to wake up."

"Mmm..."

Levi stayed as he was, resting on top of Erwin and letting him do as he wished. His groin hardened steadily, digging into Erwin's pelvic area and lower abs. Erwin didn't care about the mild discomfort. He fondled Levi's ass and hips, keeping his rhythm slow out of consideration. This was probably the most times they'd had consecutive sex in a week, and Erwin had never tried "sleep sex" with him before.

After a while, Levi got restless. He lifted up and balanced himself on Erwin's torso, and he started moving with him. His brows were furrowed as he stared down at the blond, his cock slapping against his stomach from his rolling hip motions. Erwin reached up to tease his nipples, squeezing the little pink buds between rubs. Levi made a low, mewling sound. His cheeks darkened with a blush, and a glistening trail of precum etched its way down from the tip of his cock to the shadow of his balls.

"Erwin," gasped Levi, moving faster. Apparently the slow, tender lovemaking from last night wasn't going to be enough for him this morning.

Erwin put more force into his thrusts, complying with his mate's subtle request. Levi moaned loudly, his fingers curling against Erwin's chest. Then to the alpha's surprise, he felt moisture against his fingertips where they were fondling Levi's nipples. Erwin opened his eyes again to look, wondering if it was sweat. He pulled his right-hand fingers away to smear the drop of liquid between his fingers. It wasn't clear. It was thick and white. Milky in appearance.

_~Milky?~_

On impulse, Erwin licked his fingertips to test it. Though he'd never actually tasted breast milk since infancy, he knew it was supposed to have a sweeter flavor than dairy cow milk. There was nothing else it could be. Levi was lactating.

Erwin almost stopped. It couldn't be...yet it was happening. He gave Levi's nipples another careful squeeze, and he watched as droplets formed on them. Levi gave a shuddering cry and bit his lip, jolted by the pleasure of it. His nipples had always been sensitive, but they were even more so now. Erwin kept moving even as he pondered it. He'd noticed Levi being more responsive to having them played with last night, but he thought it was just because he was in the moment.

Unaware that he was producing milk, Levi had his eyes closed and his head thrown back. His hips rocked on top of Erwin's, his chest heaving with labored breaths. He was in a haze of passion, his eagerness flowing through the link to Erwin.

Erwin kept stimulating his nipples, watching him with fascination as he steadily drove Levi into orgasm with his touch and the pumps of his cock. When the omega gave one last trembling cry and collapsed on him, showering Erwin with spunk in the process, the alpha rubbed his back to calm him. He hadn't finished yet himself, but he could take care of that later or try to initiate more lovemaking. Right now, Erwin was in a state of confusion, intrigue and wonderment.

* * *

The lactation phenomena stopped after Levi came, and Erwin didn't bring it up to him simply because he didn't want to freak him out. Obviously his lover wasn't aware of it, or he surely would have said something to Erwin before it happened. Erwin forwent the option of trying for more sex, and he let Levi sleep in while he got cleaned up and changed. He checked on Dylan and upon finding him still asleep, he got on the phone with Hange.

"Hi, I know this is your day off and you probably get tired of friends calling you asking for medical advice, but I have a question about Levi."

"Oh? Hold on a minute, Erwin. Let me just get this coffee poured and we can have a chat."

Erwin waited, listening to the clink of mug and spoon in the background.

"Okay," Hange said after a moment. "Now what seems to be the issue? Is Levi ill?"

"I...don't think so," he answered uncertainly. How to approach the subject without compromising Levi's dignity? "The thing is...I wonder if I've gotten him pregnant."

"Pregnant?" repeated Hange. "But Levi is fixed."

"I know, but..." Erwin sighed. Hange was a doctor. He had to think of her that way and put aside his reservations. "He and I were being intimate this morning, and—"

"Oh, a little morning delight, huh?" Erwin could hear the wink in her voice.

"Yes, anyway," he carried on. It was hard to remember she was a professional when she talked like that. "I'm sure that Levi began to lactate during the encounter. I don't think he realized it, but I did. I'm concerned, because if it's a pregnancy, couldn't it be a risky one? If not, is it possible there's something else medical going on with him?"

"Ectopic pregnancies do happen," she mused. "It's when the fertilized egg implants somewhere outside the womb, and in the case of a subject with tied tubes it can be a bigger risk. They're very, very rare in omegas, though. Has Levi complained of any sharp abdominal pains, digestive issues or light-headedness? Any rectal bleeding?"

"No, only the usual issues when he suffers drug cravings."

"Then how about the condition of his nipples? Do they look any bigger to you? Darker in color?"

Erwin flushed, embarrassed to be talking about Levi's nipples with someone. "No, but they seem to have gotten more sensitive in the past day or two."

"Okay," Hange said. "There's no inflammation, no evidence of infection and very little chance he might be pregnant. That leads to biological imperative."

Erwin frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Tell me Erwin, is he still lactating?"

"No. It stopped after we...er...finished."

"Oh, good." Hange audibly slurped at her drink, then swallowed. "I think what we're looking at here is simply an omega reacting strongly to the alpha he's mated to. Think of the connection you and Levi have always had, even before you pair-bonded. You're for all intents and purposes the father of his child. You've looked after him and Dylan, proven yourself to be a good partner and parent. These factors can influence an omega's responses to their alpha."

"Please go on." Erwin frowned. He'd never been with an omega that started lactating during sex, but he'd never been pair-bonded before, either.

"Is this the first time it's happened?" Hange pressed.

"Yes, it is."

"Okay. Something may have happened between you two that triggered it, then," she surmised.

"For example?" Other than great sex, Erwin couldn't think of any biological happenings that would account for it.

"An emotional moment. The alpha demonstrating his ability to protect his omega. Things like that."

Erwin's jaw dropped. "My god woman, how do you know so much about alphas and omegas?"

"Lots and lots of research," she chuckled. "Am I on the right track?"

Erwin chose not to tell her that he'd nearly killed Levi's uncle because he thought Kenny was threatening him. He didn't think that incident inspired anything but trauma in Levi. There was the other thing, though.

"I asked Levi to marry me last night," he confessed.

"Oh my gawd, you did? Tell me he said yes. Tell me he said yes!"

Erwin winced at the volume of her voice in his ear. "Yes, he accepted."

Hange laughed. "Well, this is wonderful news! I thought this day would _never_ come."

"All right, I'm happy you're so pleased," Erwin said with a grin, "but back on the topic, please. I really am getting concerned about this."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry," Hange told him casually. "Now I'm almost sure of the cause. You see Erwin, your proposal and his acceptance fully sealed your bond with each other. If this started after you got engaged, it most likely means he's ready to breed."

"I...don't understand," admitted Erwin. "How can that be if he's fixed? Levi is still dealing with trauma, and he hasn't given any indication that he wants his procedure reversed."

"I know he's not mentally ready," she explained, "but physically, he's receptive. Did you know that this kind of response can be essential for some omegas to get pregnant?"

"Are you suggesting he had this reaction with his kidnapper?"

"No, no. Levi was in Slater's captivity for three months. That was enough time for him to impregnate him, given that he kept him in heat as often as possible. In your case, there's a true bond between the two of you. Levi's instincts are telling him he should have babies with you. He's not consciously doing it, but if it weren't for him being sterilized I'd say you fellows would be well on your way to making a sibling for Dylan."

Erwin considered it heavily. "I would think the surgery would eliminate that kind of reaction."

"No more than it eliminates heats," she answered. "Not if it's done right. If it botches an omega's cycles then it was done in a way that can't be reversed. That's obviously not the case with Levi."

"So there's nothing to worry about," concluded Erwin, relieved. "Are you sure he couldn't be pregnant? I've heard sometimes tubes can re-attach after these procedures."

"It can happen, but it's not likely. Maybe you should have him take a home pregnancy test just to be safe, and if he starts lactating outside of sex or nipple stimulation, definitely have him come see me. I really think it's just his body's natural reactions to your pair-bond fully clicking into place, as it were."

"All right. I'll keep an eye on things and let you know if I have any further concerns. Thank you, Hange."

* * *

Levi got up later than intended. He put on his robe, changed the bedding and went to have a shower. He found Erwin and Dylan in the living room. Erwin was reading the newspaper and Dylan was on the floor sipping at a bottle. The toddler smiled when he saw Levi, and he dropped the bottle to reach up for Levi eagerly.

"Baba..."

Levi bent over to pick him up and give him a cuddle. He met Erwin's eyes across the distance, and he felt the ring on his finger more acutely. "Morning," he greeted, and then he lowered his gaze and smirked. "Again."

"Yes, good morning again." Agreed Erwin softly. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah." Levi had slept better last night and this morning than he had in a long time. He didn't know what got into him. He just didn't want Erwin to leave him. Wanting his cock was something Levi was used to, but wanting it inside of him all night long was a new thing.

Levi carried Dylan over to the couch and set him down beside Erwin. "I'm going to have a shower and get dressed."

"Of course. He's fine here, and he's had his breakfast." Erwin ruffled the child's hair, and then he stared at Levi. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm okay." For some reason, Levi couldn't read Erwin's expression. He picked up something through the link, but to him it just felt like...curiosity? Maybe Erwin was worried that he'd moved too soon in proposing to him. Levi turned the ring on his finger absently, and Erwin's eyes followed the motion.

"How does it fit?" asked the blond.

"A bit loose."

"Then we can get it fitted today," offered the blond. He smiled. "I want everyone to know."

"What if they want to throw us some kind of engagement party?" Levi frowned. He could only handle so many social engagements in a given time period.

"I'll make sure people know that isn't necessary," assured Erwin. He folded his paper, and he pulled Dylan into his lap. "While we're out getting your ring sized today, we should stop at the general store and pick up more pull-ups for him. The supply is getting low."

"Sure." Levi's face was heating under that stare and ridiculously, he started getting wet. He'd already had loads of sex with the man but he wanted to do it some more. "I'm going to have that shower now."

Levi retreated. He hadn't thought to bring a change of clothes with him into the bathroom, so he just decided to put the robe back on after bathing. He turned the water on a little colder than usual, put his ring on the counter for safe keeping and stepped into the shower. It wasn't the fact that he was feeling horny that bothered him. It was the fact that he had so little control over it, the fact that he couldn't even seem to talk to Erwin today without wanting to drag the alpha back into the bedroom and ride him again...or better yet, let Erwin take him hard and fast like he'd done that one night when Levi decided to unleash the alpha.

As he showered, Levi started to think of that look on Erwin's face when he showed up at Kenny's that night. He thought of the cold aggression in his eyes, the quiet promise in them. It said that Erwin would kill anyone that tried to hurt Levi. Something about that look made him shiver—and not in an unpleasant way.

Levi started beating off without even realizing it. He bowed his head, letting the spray of water strike the back of his head. He was going to go into heat if he wasn't careful. Maybe it was time for him to get back on suppressants, now that he was taking lower doses of his other meds.

* * *

They had Levi's finger properly measured, left his ring with the jewelers to be resized and went to the pharmacy to pick up some things. Afterwards they stopped for lunch, got his ring back and went home to the apartment. As Levi was unloading the bags from the pharmacy, he came across a home pregnancy test for omegas. He frowned at it, scanning the box in perplexity.

"Oi, Erwin. I think someone else's stuff got mixed up with ours at the register."

Erwin came up behind him and peered over his shoulder. Levi held the box up. "I know I didn't buy this."

"No, I did."

Levi turned around to face him fully, his frown deepening. "Why, did you miss a period?"

"Very funny." Erwin leaned back to check through the kitchen archway and make sure Dylan was okay in his new baby swing set. Satisfied that he was, Erwin urged Levi further into the kitchen and over near the microwave.

"Listen," he said softly, "this morning while we were having sex, you started to lactate."

Levi's brows went up. He crossed his arms over his chest self-consciously. Even that gesture rubbed against his nipples and made them tingle. "You're imagining things. I'm not pregnant, Smith. I made sure that wouldn't happen again."

"They're more sensitive lately, aren't they?" pressed Erwin. He looked down at Levi's chest, slipped his hands beneath the omega's arms and urged them to the sides. "Let me see."

"Hey, our kid's right in the other room," Levi hissed, face flushing.

"Dylan has seen both of us without shirts," reasoned Erwin. "He's seen us naked, in fact. I just want to look at them again, Levi."

The omega sighed, and he let Erwin unbutton his shirt and pull it partway open; just enough to bare his chest and nipples. "I know what lactating is like," he reminded the alpha, indignant but admittedly curious. "There's no swelling, they aren't any bigger and they don't hurt, so—"

His objections ended in a gasp when Erwin circled said nipples with his thumbs. The sensation went straight to Levi's groin, almost electric. He had to admit they'd been more sensitive, but when Erwin touched them...

The blond met his eyes, and he fondled them gently. It was just like their third time last night and their morning sex. It pulsed through Levi, tingling and zipping and practically vulgar in its intensity. His heats made them like this too, but he wasn't in heat. Not yet, anyway.

"Okay, they're sensitive," gasped Levi, trying to pull away. "That doesn't mean...unnh...oh..."

Erwin had squeezed them, and Levi's eyes rolled. His back arched, presenting his chest more completely to his devilish alpha.

"Much more sensitive," Erwin observed huskily. The bulge of his groin pressed against Levi's thigh. "Your omega smell is spiking, too. You've also never slept with me the way you did last night."

Oh fuck, thinking about it made Levi throb with want. His mouth fell open and he made a soft, incoherent sound. Erwin kept rubbing his nipples, and Levi panted for him to stop even as he put his arms around the blond's neck and pressed up against him. Son of a bitch, it felt so good. His pants started getting moist from the slick he was beginning to produce.

"Erwin," breathed Levi, alarmed and horny as hell at the same time. Erwin wasn't stopping like he always did whenever Levi asked him to.

"Look," urged the blond. "Look down, Levi."

Levi did, and then he saw what Erwin was talking about. Beads of pearly fluid had formed on his nipples, and they dripped onto Erwin's thumbs as Levi stared.

"But...that isn't possible," Levi insisted, eyes going wide. "I can't be...it doesn't feel the same as when...give me that fucking test..."

He lunged for the box that he'd set on the counter when Erwin pulled him aside. He hadn't had to pee before, but he definitely needed to now. He ran into the bathroom without bothering to close up his shirt, got the test out of the container with shaking hands and hastily read the instructions. First piss of the day, it said. Well, this was an emergency.

Levi whipped it out, flipped up the toilet seat and did his best to aim. He got some piss on his hand and on the rim of the bowl, but for once he didn't have a fit over it. He set the test down on the sink counter and washed his hands, and then he pulled his shirt open to stare at his chest through the mirror.

He could still see the shininess from the moisture on his nipples, but no more of the stuff was coming out. Taking a deep breath, Levi squeezed them gingerly. A tiny bit came out, but no more after that. He wiped his chest off and did it again. Nothing.

"Levi, are you all right?"

Erwin's voice startled him so badly that he tossed the washcloth in his hand up in the air. He closed up his shirt and opened the door to find his mate standing on the other side of it. Erwin's face was concerned on him, and regret throbbed from the man.

"I'm sorry," whispered Erwin. "I know I crossed a line. I needed to prove it to you."

Levi steadied himself, grabbing Erwin's arm. "I get it. The way it made me feel had me more thrown than the way you kept going. If you'd have pulled my pants down and fucked me right there against the cabinets, I wouldn't have stopped you."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. It stopped. I just wasn't ready for that. They were sensitive this morning, but just now it blew me away. It's almost like when I have a heat, but less localized. It wasn't like this when I was pregnant, Erwin." He looked up at the alpha, troubled. "Yeah, they were tender, but there was more discomfort than anything. Thought I was going to come in my pants when you did that in there."

"I admit, I was tempted to take it further than was appropriate," confessed Erwin. "You were so damned erotic, just like this morning but more...sudden. Your scent was similar to when you're in heat, just enough to entice and make me struggle with myself."

"So maybe I'm just getting ready to go into a heat," reasoned Levi. "That doesn't explain the tit leak, but it's all I can think of, if I'm not knocked up."

"I guess we'll know in a few seconds," said Erwin. He stepped into the bathroom and stared down at the test. Levi joined him, and they both stood in tense anticipation.

"Negative," announced Erwin when the indicator came up. "That eliminates one possibility. I spoke with Hange and—"

"I need to see her," interrupted Levi. "These tests aren't always accurate. I've got to have her do one in a lab for me to be sure."

"All right, but if you'll listen to me, I think I may have—"

"Take me there now, Erwin."

Erwin opened his mouth, shut it, and then gave Levi a kind, understanding look. He nodded, putting an arm around him. "All right, Levi. I'll get Dylan into the car. Maybe it's better that you talk to Hange anyway."

* * *

-To be continued


	18. Chapter 18

Fortunately, Hange was willing to meet Levi and Erwin at the clinic when the police chief called her up and explained what had happened. She asked Erwin to stay in the waiting room with Dylan while she spoke with Levi and got some blood samples. Once she got him to sit down and stop pacing, she explained to him the same thing she'd told Erwin over the phone, though with fewer words involved.

"Levi, it's perfectly natural for your type," she assured him, "especially when the bond is as tight as yours and Erwin's is. You don't have to be so anxious."

"So my tits are doing this because of our pair-bond? Why now, and not before?"

"Sometimes it can take a while for a pair-bond to reach its full potential," she explained. "Erwin told me the good news about your engagement. I think that might have done it. All it means is that your omega physiology is reacting to his alpha one. It doesn't mean your body is going to betray you and get pregnant just by being near Erwin. It only means that sometimes you're going to be more receptive to his sexuality than average."

He frowned, staring down at his new engagement ring. "So even if I don't want another kid, my body's going to try and trick me into having one."

Hange paused, and she tilted her head. "You know, you're reacting to this pregnancy scare differently than you did when we found out you were having Dylan. Is it because you were in a state of shock back then?"

Levi shrugged. "Maybe. I think a part of me just stopped caring for a while back then. I was...numb."

"And now you're not," she theorized, "hence the panic?"

He shrugged again. "Now I'm thinking straight. Now I can consider what it would mean to take on this responsibility again, when I'm still not completely weaned off the meds and still get cravings sometimes."

Hange nodded. "And that was a nightmare for you, I know. Having to go through detox and rehab without the benefits of those meds...honestly, I don't know how you did it. But let's not jump to conclusions yet. The last time I examined you, everything looked fine inside. There was no indication that your procedure was flawed or compromised."

He took a steadying breath and nodded. Levi allowed Hange to have a look at his chest, and when she confirmed there was no current milk production, she checked his other basic vitals.

"The reason it stopped like that is because it can be spontaneous," she explained as she checked his ears. "Your body is responding to your alpha's scent and proximity, Levi. This won't happen all the time, and you don't have to worry about getting a leak at work. It's statistically more common during coitus."

"So as long as we don't fuck or fool around, I'm safe." He sighed. "Wonderful. Just when I was finally getting used to the fucking and could enjoy it without...never mind."

She glanced at him, and she put her instrument down. "I see. Well, we can put you on suppressants again. Granted, they might not be able to prevent heats from happening while you're still on the treatment meds, but they could help reduce the frequency of this lactation problem."

Some of Levi's tension eased. "Yeah. Let's do that."

He liked having sex. No, he _loved_ it now. Levi just didn't want to be completely at the mercy of his omega hormones all the time. He still needed some control in his life.

* * *

Erwin got up when he saw Levi come out of the examination room. He left Dylan over by the play area for kids, and he approached his partner. "How did it go? Did Hange explain things to you?"

"Yeah. I guess she said something to you as well? You mentioned talking to her before we left."

"Yes, but you were frantic." Erwin smiled teasingly. "I got too flustered to try and explain it."

Levi sighed. "I feel like an idiot."

"Don't," objected Erwin. "You had good reason to be worried. I admit I was worried too, which is why I called her about it."

"Well, the pregnancy test came back negative, so now we know it's definitely the other thing." Levi looked over at their son, thoughtful. "Hange's going to put me back on suppressants. I might still have heats but she thinks it'll help with this milk thing."

"Can I be frank?" asked Erwin softly.

"No, 'cause you're Erwin."

The blond laughed. "Anyway, I have a confession to make."

Levi looked at him curiously. "What's that?"

Erwin bent down to speak into Levi's ear. "I'm glad that your body wants to have babies with me, even if it will never happen."

Levi's expression went through a spasm before settling back into a deadpan mask. "Why? Isn't that frustrating for you? Just going through the motions without ever getting a kid out of it?"

"I have a kid out of it," reminded Erwin, "and I suppose I'm happy because you being so receptive means that we truly connect on several levels."

Levi touched the ring on his finger. "Okay. I can accept that."

* * *

After the Great Pregnancy Scare 2.0, Levi tried to be more aware of his body. He marked the dates when he felt an increase of sexual need, keeping track of it in case there was a pattern he could watch out for. Like his heats, it didn't seem to run on any set schedule. He knew that springtime seemed to bring out the hormone levels more, and he supposed that made sense in the scope of the natural world. Winter was also a season to watch out for, Hange warned him, because when people didn't get out as much, sex was a naturally appealing alternative.

Dylan was outgrowing his clothes fast. That pleased Levi, if only because it meant his son was growing well and he might not turn out as short as he was. He and Erwin informed their friends and family about their engagement, and they made plans to marry in the next Fall season. By then, Levi hoped to be off his meds for good so that he could have a more stable and normal life.

Levi checked in on Kenny's status with Erwin, and it seemed his day in court wouldn't come for a while yet. He couldn't visit him yet, but Levi received some papers and a phone call from a lawyer about his mother's estate. He was leaving him the house after all, along with everything in it that Levi didn't see fit to sell. He didn't know what to think or feel about that. It was in essence a house of broken dreams, but there were some old, fond memories in there too.

Erwin went with him one weekend to begin going through the house and organizing what would go, what would stay and what would simply get thrown out. As Levi stood looking around the living room, he could feel the ghosts of the past all around him. He remembered how one corner of the room used to look when he was a child, how he and his mother used to sit in his favorite armchair together so she could read to him.

He remembered the pictures that used to be on the walls in some spots, where the outline of them could still be seen due to the dirt accumulated on the wallpaper over time. Levi looked over at the armchair, still covered up with a sheet as Kenny had left it. He checked to be sure the sheet wasn't dusty before taking a seat.

"So much shit," he whispered, peering around at the boxes.

"Why did he box it all up if he intended to give you the house and everything in it?" asked Erwin. He squatted before his companion, blue eyes quietly sympathetic.

"Kenny's not all there, as you know." Levi bent over to pull one of the smaller boxes nearer. "He said he was trying to protect it all. He might have thought I would just want to take it all out of here and sell the place. Maybe he just got bored, who knows?"

Levi opened up the box in front of him, and inside of it he found old photo albums. His lips tugged down as he lifted the top one out and opened it up to go through it. There were baby pictures of him, some of Kenny and his mother in their youth, an old guy Levi knew to be his grandfather but had never met. There was even one of Mikasa when she was about five years old, and Levi was standing next to her. He was probably about thirteen in the photo.

"At least he put all the albums in one place," muttered Levi, staring at one photo of him and his mother for a moment before closing it. "Well, I'd better see what's where and start deciding what to do with it. I suppose I need to rent storage space somewhere, because the apartment isn't big enough to hold all this extra crap."

Erwin followed him to a crate, and he watched as Levi opened it up to rifle through old lamps, a bird feeder and a shoe rack. "You know Levi, there is the option of restoring or renovating. We could replace the carpets and wallpaper, fix any plumbing and electric that needs it, repair the porch steps. It's really not in that bad of shape."

Levi looked up at him from his crouched position. "That would take a lot of time and money we don't have, Erwin."

"You might be surprised. I know a lot of people in construction as the chief of police. Some of them owe me favors and could point me in the direction of affordable contracting."

Levi glanced around again. It was once a nice house. He supposed in the right hands, it could be again. With two floors, three bedrooms and two bathrooms, it had space for a single family. Decent kitchen, breakfast nook, a fireplace.

"It used to be nice," he whispered.

Erwin squeezed his shoulder. "You have time to think about it. I'm just offering a suggestion to consider. You seem torn."

"Yeah." Levi heaved a sigh. It was no good pretending otherwise, with his alpha. "The city would probably just bulldoze it to make room for some mall if I sell to them. They've been doing that with a lot of old homes on this side of town. I thought of renting it out after getting it cleaned up, that the repairs would still have to be done."

"Let me see what I can do," urged Erwin. "I'll talk to people, see if I can get a contractor to come out, look at the place and give an estimate. We could get a loan."

"Why are you so determined to have me keep this place?" Levi asked, puzzled. "Do you want to move in here or something?"

Erwin paused, frowning briefly. "I wasn't actually thinking of that, but if you look at the potential..."

"So you'd move all the way over to this side of town when your apartment is right there within blocks of your precinct?" Levi pressed. "Why?"

Erwin shrugged, looking around. "I can see the beauty in this house. If it can be restored, it would make a nice place to live out retirement some day. It's _your_ home though, Levi. Your decision. I just think it would be a shame to let the opportunity to be a homeowner go to waste. But if it brings too much sadness to you, I understand if you choose to be rid of it."

"I've got to think about it for a while," said Levi after a heavy pause. "Right now, I just want to see what's salvageable and what should just be tossed to the curb."

"What about that armchair over there?" Erwin nodded at it. "You've sat down in it a lot. Do you want to have it picked up and brought to the apartment?"

Levi turned to look at said chair. It was an antique high back Winchester chair, with burgundy leather upholstery, oak legs and enough room in it for someone of Levi's side to comfortably curl up and sleep. It was a bit worn like everything else, but it seemed to be the one piece of furniture Kenny took some care of.

"Where would we put it? There's not enough space in the living room, and it doesn't really go with the other furnishings."

"We can put it in the master bedroom," Erwin suggested. "I'll get rid of the chair I've got in there. It should fit just right, and none of the furniture in there matches to begin with."

Levi wavered. "I don't want you to have to toss out any of your stuff."

"I can put it into storage for a while. You were talking about renting space anyway, so I don't see why some of your things can't go in our apartment and some of my things can't go into storage. That way, it will feel more like _your_ apartment too. I think it's a good compromise."

Levi looked at the chair again, and Erwin bent over to whisper into his ear. "You should have something that you love, Levi. I can tell that you love that chair, so we're taking it."

Levi's gaze softened on the alpha. "Thanks."

* * *

It was worth the trouble to see some of the tragedy fade from Levi's eyes, even if only a little of it. Erwin arranged for a moving truck to come to the house in the evening a couple of days later. He and Levi met up with them after work to arrange what was going and what was staying behind for the time being. They rented a climate controlled storage space close to the apartment, transported what Levi wanted from the truck to their place, loaded up what Erwin was putting away and got everything stored before midnight. Dylan was staying with Mikasa again so that they could get things done without having to look for a sitter.

They were both exhausted, sweaty and sore from moving, even though they had help from the movers they'd hired. Erwin almost stumbled when they got through the door, and Levi quickly steadied him.

"Shower," Levi said flatly, "then bed."

Erwin nodded, and they shuffled like a pair of zombies to the hallway leading to their destination. They worked in synch without thinking about it, just as they had while moving the furnishings. Erwin got the water going, while Levi put fresh towels out and got their robes from the bedroom. Erwin held the shower door open for his partner when Levi came back in to join him. The omega tiredly stepped inside, letting Erwin take the brunt of the water force since he was the bigger of the two.

"I'll get your back," offered Levi when Erwin started lathering up.

Erwin handed the loofah and shower gel to him, and he bowed his head as Levi started working it over his tired back. It felt good, and he shut his eyes.

"Hey, don't conk out on me and fall down," warned the smaller man with a light poke in Erwin's ribs. "We don't need you getting a concussion."

Erwin straightened up, and he smirked a little when Levi took the extra time to soap down his ass, the back of his thighs and calves. He was a thorough little thing, for certain. Erwin turned around to rinse his back off, and he watched Levi begin to soap himself up in the front. Despite his exhaustion, the alpha couldn't resist taking the toiletries back again and reciprocating on Levi. He allowed it, and Erwin did the rest of him too, lingering perhaps a bit longer than necessary on his butt and groin.

"Fuck, I'm tired," announced Levi once they were both rinsed off. He leaned forward against Erwin, plopping his forehead against the blond's chest.

Erwin smiled sleepily at the endearing gesture. He stroked Levi's water-slick back and nodded. "Me too. We still need to wash our hair, though."

"Yeah." Levi grabbed up the shampoo, squirted some in his palm and then offered the bottle to Erwin.

They finished cleaning up, exchanging a few kisses and caresses in between. Both men fell into bed. The magnetism between them wasn't enough to stir their libido tonight. Lying there face to face, Erwin cupped Levi's hip, and Levi rested a hand on the alpha's chest. They didn't even make it out of their robes or under the covers before they both fell asleep. Perhaps that was good, considering their sex life had been so active recently that they probably could use the break.

* * *

Kenny's sentence was passed, and Levi was relieved to find out he wasn't getting the death penalty. He imagined his uncle must have given them information on the guy that arranged Chris Oslow's death. He could have offered some other information as a deal for leniency as well. Kenny Ackerman was a man adept at dealing in secrets. As it stood, he was getting life without parole.

After some soul searching, Levi arranged to visit Kenny in prison on one of his days off. He didn't like the environment he was in at all as he went through the security checks, handed away his phone, keys and wallet and got escorted to the visitation booth room. There were a couple of other people there visiting inmates, but Levi ignored them. He saw Kenny sitting behind booth number two on the other side of the glass. He was wearing and orange jumpsuit like the other prisoners.

Levi approached, sat down and picked up the handset, while Kenny did the same. "Orange isn't your color," Levi informed his uncle dryly.

Kenny shrugged. "I'm not here to impress anyone, runt. So how's the home life? Kid doing okay? Has your cop tried to shoot any more relatives lately?"

"Erwin only fires at people that deserve it," Levi said crisply. "Everything else is fine. Tell me something, though. Why'd you leave everything to me? I'm sure some of it was supposed to go to you."

"Yeah, some of it was," conceded Kenny, "but your mom wanted you to have the house. She left it all in my care and set up a trust fund for you. Guess you never got that?"

"I got the trust fund when I turned eighteen," confirmed Levi. "That's how I was able to move out, get my own place and take some classes I never even used. What about the rest, though? I always thought she didn't have the chance to make a detailed will."

"Not very detailed," answered the older Ackerman with a shrug. "The house and about half the stuff in it was s'posed to go to you when you hit twenty-one. The rest was for me. She also left a few things for Mikasa. Girly stuff mostly, like jewelry. I didn't look at those details."

"All right," sighed Levi. "Then why the hell didn't I get any of it when I hit twenty-one? Did you pawn off most of it or something?"

"Nah. I had my own ways of making money. The reason you didn't get any of it was because I didn't know where the hell she _kept_ the damned will. Why do you think I put everything in those boxes? I had to dig through a mountain of shit to find the paperwork. Finally found it in the attic, put away in a chest."

Levi frowned. "You told me you were trying to protect some of it by boxing it up."

"Yeah, that too. Mostly I needed to get it out of the way. Figured it would be easier to go through your stuff if it wasn't scattered all over the place, too."

Levi had a sneaking suspicion there was something more to it. "Why did you _really_ send me away when I came to you? What was your end game there?"

Kenny growled in frustration. "You ain't going to quit, are you?"

"No. I want the whole truth."

The older man's eyes narrowed. "All right, kid. The truth is when you came to me and told me you got into some bad shit and wanted to start over, I guessed that you weren't telling me the whole story." He gestured at his eyes. "Saw it in your eyes. Something else was eating at you. You were scared, and you don't scare easy. I know from personal experience."

"And you looked into it," Levi recalled.

"Yeah, I looked into it. I wanted you gone while I was doing it, though. I set you up in Trost because it's far enough away and I thought whatever had you spooked would keep you there longer. Meanwhile, I did my investigating, found out what happened, found out who all was involved. I made my plans before you came back. I didn't expect you to show up again so soon. I wanted it all done before you had your fill of 'starting over' and decided to come home. Less complicated, that way."

Levi stared at him. So for all this time according to Kenny, everything he'd done was for Levi. It made him feel strange and regretful at once. "Why?"

"I did it for Kuchel," Kenny said. "Not you. Well, maybe for you, too. Sometimes you're an all right kid, when you're not pissing me off."

Levi shook his head. A sudden wave of melancholy hit him, and his chest tightened. He glared at his uncle, old frustrations rising to the surface. "Do you know how many times I tried to gain your fucking approval growing up? I even admired you, thought you were tough and that was how I thought I should be when I grew up."

"Ya tried to make me into a father figure," Kenny shot back. He shrugged. "I guess that makes sense, seeing as you grew up without a dad. Yeah, I knew you were trying to get my approval. Yeah, I withheld it, because I didn't want to be a father. Don't say I never did anything for you though, boy."

Levi took a deep breath, and he deflated some as Kenny's words both answered some of the questions he'd grown up with, and confirmed what Levi had already known deep down. Perhaps this was why he'd initially given his son over to Erwin. He saw in the blond the kind of fatherly devotion Levi had never known. He'd seen Erwin as a father figure—not to himself, but to that baby he hadn't wanted.

"You ruined your life doing this," Levi pointed out. "You'll never get out of here."

"Don't be so sure of that." Kenny smirked. "Things can happen over time."

Levi sighed again. "I just hope it was worth it."

"Must've been, or I wouldn't have done it."

Levi didn't have a response for that. Kenny was so complex, even to him.

"Visiting time is up," one of the guards informed him.

Levi stood up, still holding the phone to his ear. "Well, I'll try to visit now and then. If there's anything you want me to bring you that they'll let you have, let me know now."

"Smokes," Kenny informed. "Oh and uh, send me pictures of the family now and then, would ya?"

"Seriously?" Levi raised his brows.

"Yeah. I need something on my cell wall besides nudie pinups. It'll remind me why I put myself in here...help brighten the place up a little."

Levi bit his lip, and he nodded. "Okay. Don't get shanked."

Kenny laughed. "Boy, around here _I_ do the shanking."

"And don't shank anyone either, you idiot," snapped Levi. He replaced the handset on its cradle, turned around and left with a shake of his head.

* * *

Levi showed up at Mikasa's place a few days later. She looked mildly surprised to see him because he hadn't called first, but she stepped aside to let him in. Seeing the antique wooden jewelry box he held in his hands, she nodded at it with a confused frown.

"What's this?"

Levi held it out to her. "It's yours. It was meant for you."

Her expression slowly changed to comprehension. After all, Levi had told her about Kenny's actions with the inheritance. "Aunt Kuchel's?"

Levi nodded. "I know you don't wear much jewelry, but—"

"I'll make an exception for these." She took the box carefully, and she met his gaze. "Thank you."

Levi nodded. He stuck his hands in his front pockets, and he leaned back against the door. "There's still a lot of shit to go through. You should come to the house with me some time and see if there's anything you want. I've already picked through and gotten everything important to me."

"Okay." Mikasa set the jewelry box down on the shelf unit by the front door. "Are you going to sell the house or keep it?"

Levi sighed. "I don't know. If we fixed it up, do you think you and Eren might want to move in there and rent it?"

"You wouldn't want to move in there yourself?" Mikasa answered her own question quickly. "No, of course you wouldn't."

"I don't know what I want to do yet," he admitted. "I'm still thinking it over. I just thought I'd reach out feelers in case I can't go through with selling it but don't want to live there myself. I'd rather have family staying there than strangers as tenants."

"I don't blame you." Mikasa gestured to the living room. "Do you want to stay for a while and have some tea?"

"Can't. I've got to pick up Dylan from day care. We're going out for a family dinner tonight."

"Oh." She gave a hint of a smile, not unlike the ones Levi sometimes expressed. "I never thought you would end up domesticated."

"Tch. I don't spend the days vacuuming in an apron. Don't push it."

She shrugged. "Do you want a ride instead of taking a cab?"

"Actually, I've got Erwin's car today. He brings his cruiser home sometimes so I can use his car for work and to get around. Thanks, though."

"All right. Say hello for me."

Levi nodded, and he started to open the door.

"Levi?" Mikasa's voice stopped him, and he turned back around to face her questioningly.

The young woman hesitated, and then she hugged him. It was awkward, something she wasn't accustomed to doing. Neither was he, and he hesitated as well before returning the hug and patting her on the back.

"See you around," Levi said to her, and then he left.

* * *

That night, Erwin awoke to the disturbance of Levi tossing and turning. He rolled over to look at him, and he saw his lips moving. They were forming the word: "no" over and over again, but it only came out as a strangled whisper. It wouldn't be the first time Levi had suffered nightmares. With everything Levi had to deal with right now, it didn't surprise Erwin that his stress would trigger bad dreams or anxiety.

The alpha spoke his mate's name softly, mindful not to startle him awake or lay hands on him while he was in this state. He'd already been decked once by doing so while Levi was caught up in bad memories.

"Levi," he said again. "Wake up. It's just a dream."

The omega's eyes cracked open, disoriented and full of fear in the moonlight. Erwin again spoke his name, and he reached out slowly to put a hand on his shoulder. Levi jerked, and Erwin quickly sent a soothing vibe through their link. He'd just figured out how to do that and so far, it was effective.

"It's me," Erwin assured him. "It's Erwin. You're safe."

Gasping, Levi stared at him. Recognition came into his eyes.

"Deep, calming breaths," encouraged Erwin, stroking Levi's hair. "That's it. In, out. In, out."

The panic faded little by little, and Levi snuggled up to him. Erwin rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head. "I'm here. Just a bad dream."

It was a heartbreaking and sweet trait that Levi shared with his son, this penchant he had for burying his face in Erwin's chest. The alpha held him protectively, waiting for his shivering to subside. He sent another soothing wave at him, doing his best to ease the anxiety.

"Better?" Erwin asked him after a while.

Levi nodded, still face-planted against his chest.

"Do you want one of your Xanax?"

The omega shook his head. His voice was muffled against Erwin's chest. "No meds this time. I...I'll be okay."

Erwin smiled. While it drained him to use this technique of sharing energy with his mate, it was worth it to him. He'd found a way to calm Levi's anxiety and cravings without drugging him. He was learning a little more about positive ways to use his alpha influence with each day. He started humming low in his chest the way he did to calm Dylan sometimes. Levi sighed, nuzzled him and settled down some more. Like father, like son.

After a while, Levi pulled back a little to speak in a more confident tone. "I don't know how you do it, but thanks."

"I'm learning," whispered Erwin. He didn't ask what Levi had dreamt about. It could have been a flashback of his volatile childhood, or it could have been his experience as a captive. It was best to leave it up to Levi to decide whether to talk about it.

"I don't want to live in that house," Levi said, "but I can't sell it, either."

Erwin nodded in understanding. "It's okay. We'll figure out something."

"I was thinking Mikasa and her gang could rent it, if we can fix it up. That way someone would be living there that I know would take care of the place."

"That idea has merit," approved Erwin. "You should speak to her about it."

"I mentioned it to her today," informed Levi. "She seemed interested, at least."

"Well then, maybe it's the solution you've been searching for. I'm glad. I know it's been weighing heavily on you."

"Yeah," sighed Levi. "It's just a matter of getting it repaired and going through the paperwork."

"We'll get it done," promised Erwin. "Just try not to stress over it. At least now you know what you want to do with it."

Levi closed his eyes. "Yeah."

Erwin watched him, and he stroked his hair until Levi fell asleep again. Only then did he allow his own need for rest to overtake him.

* * *

Later that week, Erwin and Levi invited Hange over for dinner. She'd dropped her plans so many times to come to their aid that they both figured they owed her. Erwin did most of the cooking on the balcony grill, while Levi made up a tossed salad with a vinaigrette dressing he'd found the recipe for online. She was all too happy to accept, and she brought a bottle of sparkling juice for the table in lieu of wine.

"Thanks," Levi said as he took the offering from her. He examined it curiously.

"It's an alternative to wine," she said. "I thought it would be rude to bring alcohol."

"Why?" he raised a brow at her. "Everyone thinks I've got an issue with booze, but I don't."

"Because you're following a clean living directive." Hange shrugged. "It's a general rule of thumb, Levi. Especially for a doctor. We don't bring alcohol to a gathering where there are people that are trying to stay sober. Some of them abused several substances, so it's best not to tempt fate."

She snapped her fingers suddenly. "Oh, but coffee is fine. You can bring coffee." She reached into her handbag and produced a bag of rich gourmet coffee beans. "For you. You have a grinder and coffee maker, right? I would think a cop would have one, at any rate."

Levi took the coffee. "Yeah, Erwin likes his coffee. He'll appreciate this. Dinner's almost ready, so you can follow me into the dining room and get comfortable. I'll pour the...uh...juice."

Dylan obviously recognized Hange when he saw her; testament to how often the doctor had gone our of her way to see him or Levi in emergency situations since he was born.

"Han-gee!" cried the child, reaching for her from his high chair.

"Oh, look at you!" Hange set her bag down, and she went to the boy to pick him up. She grinned and bounced him in her arms. "He knows my name, even!"

"Well he hears me complaining about you often enough," stated Levi dryly while getting out some glasses.

"Levi is kidding," Erwin interjected. He came in from the kitchen, carrying some bowls to set down for the salad.

"Mostly," added Levi.

Hange laughed. "I'm sure I pester you enough to warrant some complaints, Levi. I'm not worried. I _am_ surprised that he can say my name so clearly though. He's come a long way with his language skills."

"He can say most everyone's name that he knows," Erwin informed her proudly. "He has some trouble with Mikasa, but he calls her 'Mika' for short, like Eren. Oh, and he still calls Levi 'Baba'. We think he started out wanting to say 'Papa', and his version just stuck with him."

"Well I think that's adorable." Hange placed Dylan back in his highchair, and she took a seat at opposite side of the table when Levi made an inviting gesture to it. "It smells good. What are we having?"

"Grilled salmon and squash, with some long-grain and wild rice on the side," answered Erwin. He offered the salad bowl to Hange first since she was the guest. While she transferred a serving to her personal bowl, he took a seat at Dylan's left. "I hope you like Italian Ice. That's what we picked up for dessert."

"It all sounds good...and healthy." She grinned. "My usual dinners are fast food or microwave meals. I'm a lousy cook."

Levi brought Dylan's food tray to him and got him set up first, then sat down himself. "We're improving at it. It's a work in progress—especially for me. Erwin's the better cook."

"I've burned or undercooked my share of dishes while experimenting. Thank you." Erwin accepted the salad from Hange and portioned some out for himself, then passed it to Levi once the omega was done fussing with their son's bib. "It will be a few more minutes, so enjoy the salad in the meantime."

Hange sampled it after sprinkling some croutons onto it. "Mmm, the dressing's so tangy. I like it."

"Levi made that."

"It's all I made," confessed Levi with a grimace, "unless you count shredding and chopping vegetables as 'making them'. I still can't farking make rice to save my life. Love it, but it comes out like congealed crud."

Hange raised her brows. "I see you've started substituting certain words in front of a certain little mister."

Levi glanced at his son, who was sloppily eating his mashed potatoes. "Yeah, gotta be careful with that now."

She chuckled, and the conversation moved on to different casual subjects. They talked about how things were with her at the hospital, they talked about Dylan and they discussed recent happenings in the news. Erwin got up to bring in the main course when the bell went off, and he cleared off the salad bowls on his way out. While he served the entree, Levi refilled the drinks and wiped Dylan's face off.

"So, how have things been with you two?" Hange asked after digging in. "We haven't gotten caught up on any details in your lives besides the engagement."

Erwin wiped his mouth and had a drink before answering. "Things are going well at the precinct. There haven't been any recent major events. It's business as usual for the moment. Levi's been doing very well at the clinic." Erwin smiled at his partner proudly. "He hasn't needed his medication for over a week."

Hange looked to Levi with a thrilled smile, and he shrugged modestly. "Yeah, well...Erwin calms me down somehow when it gets bad, and I meditate. I also want to get back into martial arts when I have time for it."

"You're a martial artist?" Hange blinked. "I had no idea."

"Not competitively," Levi told her. "It was more of a personal hobby I was into. I'm rusty."

"I told Levi that the police academy has a sponsored martial arts training course," Erwin said, watching his mate with interest. He knew Levi worked out, knew he was a scrapper, but he hadn't had the privilege of seeing him demonstrate his skills yet. "I'm trying to talk him into trying it out. It would be free of charge, and he could use the facilities to practice his skills solo any time he wants."

"I still have too much going on right now," Levi reminded him, meeting his gaze.

Erwin spread his hands and smiled a little. "Point taken. I'm just giving you a reminder."

"It sounds like you've got a busy schedule, Levi." Hange ate some more of her rice and some fish while she waited for his response.

"No kidding," sighed the omega. "With the kid, the job, the meetings and...other stuff, I just don't have room to indulge in the training right now."

"What 'other stuff'?" probed Hange. She had another look around. "Hey, I've noticed this place looks different since the last time I was here. You've got new furniture, some new lamps. Are you redecorating?"

Erwin busied himself with helping Dylan eat, though the baby was adept enough now to handle it by himself, aside from the mess. It was Levi's call to decide what and how much to tell Hange, and Erwin wasn't about to volunteer information that wasn't his to give.

"No, that's all from...I came into an inheritance just recently," Levi explained. "It was sudden and unexpected, so we've been busy moving things around, trying to work out where to put what I'm keeping and what to do with the rest."

"An inheritance?" she repeated. "So that's what you meant. I see. I know your cousin's still alive, so it must have been your uncle? The one you said you never talked to."

Erwin briefly closed his eyes. Hange didn't know how close to the mark she was. He still remained silent, though he shot Levi a quick look of support, trying to silently let him know he'd stand by whatever he said.

"No, there was some paperwork lost when my mom died," Levi said, "and it got found recently. She left me her house and most of what was in it. It just took years for them to process it because of some mix-up."

"Oh. I'm so sorry." Hange sighed. "As if you haven't been through enough, Levi. But a house? That could be a blessing. Why, you and Erwin could move in and raise your family there. Do you know if the location has a good school district?"

"We're not doing that," Levi said a little tightly. He calmed himself. "The place needs work. I want to fix it up and rent it out. It's not a convenient location for either of us, job-wise, and we like the school district here."

Hange nodded. "I'm sorry if I pried too much. I do that at times. Well, is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not unless you know some good, affordable contractors," Levi said. "Other than that, the most you could do is treat anyone that gets injured on the job fixing the place."

"Levi and I are trying to find out what our budget is, what we can afford and what needs the most work," Erwin told her, finally lending to the conversation now that he felt it was safe to. "We can't even begin improvements beyond cleaning the place out until we know what we're looking at."

"Give me an example of what kind of people you need to come look at the place," requested Hange after swallowing her last bite of squash. "What trade areas, I mean."

Erwin sighed. "Probably all of them, but for starters, we need an electrician—"

"Ooh, me!" Hange waved her hand like an excited kid in class. "I'm an electrician."

Levi gave her a dour look. "A _real_ electrician, four eyes. Being good on the computer and knowing how to reset a blown fuse doesn't count."

"But I _am_ a real electrician," she insisted. "I have the training, the certification and the experience. I'll come and look at your place for free, tell you what needs repair or replacement and even help do it."

"You're a certified electrician?" Erwin repeated dubiously.

"Mm-hmm! Give me a minute and I'll get my wallet out of my bag and show you." Hange got up from the table, retrieved her bag from the china cabinet she'd set it on and dug out her wallet. She fished a card out of it, handing it to Erwin for his inspection.

Erwin studied it closely. It was authentic. He handed it back to her. "How is it that you're a doctor and an electrician? Where do you find the time?"

"Erwin, do you think I was a doctor the day I was born?" she chuckled. "Silly man. I studied and trained for a lot of things before I settled on this as a career. I went to a couple of trade schools before settling on a university. In fact, I _used_ those skills I learned to pay my way through medical school."

"Huh." Levi took Dylan out of his crib to clean off his face again and keep him quiet. "I didn't pick you as the type."

"Why not?" Hange challenged. "Electricity is a science, just like medicine and chemistry. I'm not a one-trick pony."

"Of course you aren't," Erwin pacified, smiling. This might solve one of their problems. "If you really want to help and can find the time, we would be happy to accept it. We need the electric, plumbing, gasline and structure checked out most of all. After that we can focus on what needs to be done with the floors, walls and ceilings."

"We'll also need the fireplace and chimney checked out," Levi added. "That's not the priority at the moment, though."

"Gotcha. So you're looking into a complete overhaul. Do you want to refurbish or restore and keep the original design?"

"Restore," Levi answered immediately. "I want it to be essentially the same house. They don't make them like that anymore and it would be...disrespectful to mom's memory if I demolished the layout."

Hange nodded, her expression sympathetic on Levi. "I understand. Well guys, I'll do what I can to help. I might be able to find you a good interior designer."

"That would be incredibly helpful," enthused Erwin. If they could knock out some of the essentials without breaking the bank, it would take a lot of strain off Levi's shoulders. "I should make a list of all the tradesmen we're going to need. Start asking around. So far I've been focused on getting the place cleared out and looking into a loan, but it would be more ideal if I knew how much money I need to apply for, first."

"You should always apply for more than you need," advised Hange, "especially on a project like this. Even if you get a solid total estimate, you never know when something could arise unexpectedly to cost you more money. Then, if you don't need that extra money, you can just use it to help pay back the loan and cut down on the debt."

Levi burped Dylan, and he stared at her with his head tilted. "What, were you a banker at some point too?"

Hange chuckled. "Sweetheart, you would be surprised how many jobs, careers and training courses I've gone through in my journey through life. Anywho, at least you have _one_ tradesman you can knock off your list."

"Yes, and we're very grateful for that," Erwin assured.

* * *

-To be continued


	19. Chapter 19

They made plans for Hange to come out to the house over the weekend, when everyone had time off to be there. During the work week, Erwin discovered that Hange wasn't the only friend he had with something to offer in the house repairs department. He was talking to Mike and Nanaba about the plans for the house while they sipped their coffee and went over the morning paperwork. That was when Mike spoke up.

"You need a carpenter?"

Erwin nodded, caught in the middle of drinking. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Yes. We're going to need someone that can repair woodwork, lay carpet and work on the roof."

Mike nodded. "I asked because I used to be one, back in the day."

Erwin felt stupid. He'd already known that about Mike, but it had slipped his mind because he'd known him through the police force for so long. "Do you think you still remember enough to do some basic work on the place? I can hire someone for the bigger projects, but even having a practiced eye look around and review what all needs to be done would be helpful. I have an amateur eye, at best."

"Sure. I'll come out and have a look. I can even do some of the woodwork and structure repairs for you to save you some money."

"Will you? That would be fantastic. I would still want to compensate you for your time and trouble, though."

Mike shrugged. "Buy me some beer, provide some lunch and pay for the materials. That's enough for me."

Nanaba smiled, walked over to Mike's chair and patted him on the shoulder. "He likes to work with his hands."

"That's very generous of you," said Erwin. He scratched his chin. "It seems I have a collection of tradespeople in my immediate social circle that I never knew about. I don't suppose either of you have plumbing experience or know someone that does?"

"Sorry Chief." Nanaba sipped her coffee. "I can't help you there."

"Me either," agreed Mike.

Erwin shrugged. "It was worth a shot." He glanced through the window separating the command office from the main floor. Spotting Annie diligently typing reports into her computer, Erwin got up and passed through the open door. As long as he was asking people, he might as well include the rest of his coworkers.

"Lt. Leonhart, good morning."

She glanced up from her screen at him, gave him the tiniest smile of respect, and returned her attention to her work. "Good morning, Chief."

Erwin chose not to beat around the bush. "My fiancé and I have a house we're trying to repair so we can rent it out."

Annie paused, and she looked up at him with a faintly puzzled expression on her usually calm face. "How interesting. With all respect sir, what does that have to do with me?"

"I was wondering if you know any tradespeople you could recommend. We are going to need plumbers, contractors, painters and roofers."

"Hmm. I don't know anyone that specializes in any of that." She tilted her head in thought. "I do know a couple of guys in the construction business, though. They might have roofing experience."

Erwin's brows rose a bit with interest. "Would you mind contacting them for me and asking them if they want a side job? You can give them my contact information if they have any questions."

Annie nodded. "I can do that for you, Chief."

"Excellent. What are their names?"

"Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover, sir. They're decent guys. Reiner's a bit of a meathead and Bertolt can be...ah, how do I put it? Let's just say meek. They make a good team together, though."

"I don't care about their personalities, as long as they can get the job done for a fair price. Thank you for your assistance."

Pleased that he'd managed to knock another requirement off the list and perhaps even two, Erwin returned to his office to get started on the day's objectives.

* * *

Levi also procured another helper by luck. Further up on the north side of town, Levi had just finished admitting a new patient into the clinic and was looking up plumbers on the internet. Gunther came out of a group meeting and was getting ready to leave, but he saw Levi at his desk so he stopped by there first.

"Hey Levi. How's it going?"

Levi turned his chair away from his computer, and he rubbed his eyes briefly. "Not bad. I just checked in a new arrival. How was group?"

Gunther shrugged. "Standard. Hey, are you doing all right? I haven't seen you in group lately."

"Thanks for the concern, but I've decided I'm only going once a month now. I'm doing much better."

"Hmm. Sorry to be blunt, but does that decision have anything to do with you walking out of the last meeting you at, halfway through it?"

Levi sighed. He'd been waiting for someone to say something to him about that. "Yeah. I've decided it's more detrimental to me now than it is helpful to go once a week. I've set up a schedule of which meetings I'll attend each month."

Gunther frowned. He glanced around to be sure nobody was nearby, and he lowered his voice. "It's because of that guy with the sexual assault charges on him?"

Levi's mouth thinned. He didn't speak.

"I'm not trying to pry, but I saw the look on your face," whispered Gunther. "Saw the way you were looking at him when he told the group he raped two girls."

"Yeah," Levi admitted, his stomach churning. "It was because of that. I can't be in the same room with that guy, or anyone else like him."

Gunther nodded. "Someone close to you got attacked?"

"Something like that." Levi glanced down, feeling that sickening rage welling inside of him once more.

"Sorry man. I just wanted to be sure you were all right. You went so pale and I half-expected a buddy call from you. When I didn't get it, I thought I should say something and clear it up."

"I managed," Levi told him. He looked up at the dark-haired beta male. "I just won't go to meetings if I know there's a rapist in there. It was either walk out or kill the bastard. I get that the mission statement of this place is to treat and rehabilitate everyone that comes here seeking help. I agreed to abide by that and respect it. Regardless of that mission statement, they shouldn't be putting animals like that with the rest of us."

Gunther winced, and he scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Yeah, I get your point. I've even said something about it myself. It puts back the progress of any patients who've lived through an attack, makes it harder for them to focus."

Gunther patted Levi's shoulder. "If it's any consolation, you weren't the only walk-out that day. One of the girls in group followed your example and walked out after you did."

Levi's face slid into a carefully controlled opaque expression. "She did?"

Gunther nodded. "Yes. Poor girl broke down in the hall as soon as she got through the door. I had to put the session on hold and go talk her down before she made the mistake of quitting the program and leaving the clinic. Maybe you and I can talk to the heads of administration, work together to come up with some kind of solution. I agree with you; convicted rapists shouldn't be in the same group as sexual assault survivors. It sets everybody back and it risks a confrontation happening. They don't want people coming to blows in therapy, and I'm scared that's what might happen eventually if things don't change."

Levi relaxed. He nodded. "It's irresponsible. Maybe they can't segregate patients according to who committed what crimes, but they should have some sort of scheduling set up. Rape survivors need to feel safe to achieve their goals, not reminded of the shit they went through and traumatized every time they go to group."

"I hear you, man. So how about it?" Gunther stuck his hand out in offering. "Want to team up and see if we can tackle this together?"

Levi looked at the extended hand, and he gave a rare little hint of a smile. He shook it. "You have a deal."

"Good." Gunther relinquished Levi's hand. He started to say something else, but then he glanced at the omega's computer screen. "Having some plumbing problems?"

Levi shot a look at it as well, and he sighed. "Yeah, but it's not our place. Management takes care of things like that. Erwin and I...we got this house that we want to fix up and rent. It needs work on gas and plumbing, amongst other things. I've been surfing around when it's slow, trying to find a good deal because we're not sure what our budget—"

"Hey Levi, let me stop you right there," Gunther said before the omega could go on. "If you need a plumber, I can help you."

Levi cocked his head with interest. "Yeah?"

Gunther nodded. "Yeah. I'm one."

"...you're shitting me."

Gunther snorted with amusement, folding his arms over his chest. "No shit on this end. I'm all for charity and helping people fight their demons, but I've got to eat too. What I do here is on my own spare time. I'm a plumber by trade."

Levi's brows pinched. "You never told me."

"You never asked," the beta male shot back with a grin. "I've got my own business, friend. It's how I make my living. Granted I don't share those details with people in this place, because when I'm here, I'm focused on helping people get clean. They don't want to know what I do for a living. They just want to know how to tackle their cravings and live with themselves."

Levi drew a soft, slow breath. "Yeah. Damn. Guess I should have asked."

Gunther shook his head. "It's not your nature. You're a 'give no shit, take no shit' kind of guy. The reason you've come so far, in my opinion, is because you focused hard on your recovery and didn't compromise for anyone. People that ask too many questions get distracted. That was never you, though."

A strange jolt went through Levi, then. Gunther's words rang true. _Too_ true. He'd never been the sort of guy to care about what other's thoughts and struggles were. His focus had always been on his own survival and what he felt had to be done. He never reached out. He did the bare minimum. He would never be a socially compassionate warrior like Erwin, never achieve the sort of self-sacrificing devotion to the good of others that his mate so easily demonstrated.

But he didn't have to remain a silent observer, either.

"Gunther, what was that girl's name? The one that walked out of group after me that day?"

Gunther hesitated. "Why?"

"You don't have to worry," Levi assured him. "I'm not going to drill her for details. I just...want to talk to her. Give her some words of encouragement. That's all."

Gunther blinked. " _You_ want to give someone encouragement? That's unusual. I've gotten used to you avoiding socialization at all costs."

Levi grimaced. "Guess you're not wrong about that. In this case, however, it's kind of personal."

Gunther considered it, and he nodded. "All right. I'm not going to discourage you reaching out. I think if anyone can relate to this girl, it's you."

Levi kept his expression blank. So, Gunther had cracked his code. He knew now that Levi's anger against rapists wasn't based on some fictitious friend being assaulted. "Are you gonna tell me her name or what?"

"Mina," answered Gunther. "Mina Carolina. You know her. She's been here for about two months."

Levi nodded. He did indeed know who his friend was talking about. She was a sweet young lady that liked to wear her black hair in cute little pigtails. In some ways, she reminded Levi of Isabel.

"Thanks. She could probably use a sympathetic shoulder right about now."

Gunther nodded as well, and he gave Levi a quiet little smile. "Good on you, bro. I'm going to head out now, and if you don't mind having ex convicts and addicts working on your home, I'll reach out to some people and see who I can drudge up for you."

Levi's expression softened into an almost-smile. "Like I can judge. As long as none of them are rapists, I'm happy to have whatever help I can get."

* * *

Levi waited until the end of his shift to find Mina Carolina's room and go knocking at her door. She opened it within moments, and upon recognizing him, she bit her lip.

"Hi," Levi said to her. "I'm not going to ask to come in. I just wanted to come by and talk to you for a minute."

"Um, about what?" She was understandably guarded, but she was looking at him with unmistakable admiration in her dark eyes.

"Gunther told me about you walking out of group after I did," Levi informed her, not beating around the bush. "I know why you did it. I know what you've been through. I won't ask about the details, but you need to know you aren't alone."

Her eyes filled immediately with tears, and she sniffed. She wiped at her nose with the back of her hand. "So...it h-happened to you too?"

Levi nodded. His heart ached for her, and he almost felt like crying along with her. He held his composure, though. She needed a strong and comforting presence, not a fellow victim breaking down into tears with her.

"Yeah. I've been there. Listen, if you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me. It's up to you what you want to share of your experience, but I've got a pretty strong shoulder if you need one. I'm also going to make sure you never have to be in the same room as that monster again, okay?"

Mina sniffled again and nodded. "Okay. T-thank you, Mr. Ackerman."

"Call me Levi." He reached out to awkwardly pat her on the shoulder. "I suck at talking to people, but I'm a decent listener. I just wanted to reach out to you. Other people can't really understand, but I do."

"Thank you," she said again in a tiny voice. "I'll keep that in mind."

Satisfied that he'd made his point, Levi handed her a slip of paper. "Here's my phone number. Call me anytime you need to vent, or when you're feeling tempted to fall off the wagon. I'm not exactly your sponsor, but I can at least be your ally. Is that all right by you?"

She nodded and gave a broken little laugh, accepting the paper eagerly. "Yes. That's very all right by me. You're the only one here that knows what it's like."

"With any luck, that's how it'll stay," Levi said seriously. "Nobody should _have_ to know what this is like. Anyway, I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so," she answered. Her smile trembled on her lips. "But I can call you if not, right?"

"Absolutely," he assured her. "I don't care what time of day it is. I don't care if I'm in the middle of taking a shit. If you're having a break down, you call me. Got it?"

Mina nodded, sniffling again. "I will. Thank you, Levi."

"Don't mention it." Levi started to go, and he paused. He lowered his voice and he leaned closer to the girl. "There's one more thing I want to tell you before I go. What happened to you was _not_ your fault. I want you to drill that into your head until it sticks. No, don't look at me like that. I've had that same doubtful look on my face for the past two fucking years, and it took me this long to finally get it. It's hard to face it, I know. It's hard to make ourselves believe that there was anything we couldn't have done to change what happened. It's true though, and I'm going to keep telling you that until you're finally convinced."

He took a deep breath, looked her in the eye and firmly reiterated his statement. "It was not. Your. Fault."

"O-okay," she said, straightening up a little in an attempt to salvage a bit of dignity. "It wasn't my fault. I'll try."

"Good," he approved. He was shaken by this, he realized. Saying those words out loud to another rape victim—no, another rape _survivor_ —had solidified what he'd been trying to convince himself of for all this time. "Hang onto that number."

"Should I give you mine?" she asked as he turned away.

Levi shook his head. "I'll catch it when you call me."

Not _if_ , but _when_. He knew she would eventually.

* * *

Erwin came home to find Levi sitting in the armchair they'd brought from the house. The omega was nursing a cup of tea, bearing a troubled expression on his face. Dylan wasn't around, and Erwin's questions died on his lips at the sight of his mate. He approached the chair quietly, sensing Levi's quiet angst. He reached out to rub the omega's tense shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Levi looked up at him, his gray eyes shadowed. "I reached out to someone today. I don't usually do that, but she's like me. She needed someone to know what she's going through."

Erwin nodded. "Then she's lucky to have you. Is Dylan still at daycare?"

Levi nodded, biting his lip. His guilt came through the bond, and Erwin shook his head. "It's okay. I can go and pick him up."

Levi sighed. "I just...didn't want him to see me this way. He's too sensitive to my moods and I can't be a good parent to him when I'm so distracted. I thought it was better to leave him with Petra until you got home."

"I understand," assured Erwin. He went to the bed, took the throw blanket off of it and draped it around the omega's shoulders. He bent over to kiss Levi on the forehead. "Don't worry about it. I'll go and get him. Just rest, love."

Levi's composure cracked, and his depression finally showed on his face as he stared up at the blond. "How the hell do you put up with me all the time?"

Erwin smiled with kind, loving patience at him. "Because without you, I'd be lost in the dark. You may think of yourself as a burden, but to me you're the very breath of life."

Tears gathered in Levi's eyes, and he hastily wiped at them. "There you go again with the fucking word art. Shit, you're making me cry."

Erwin chuckled, though it was a bit unsteady. His throat ached with sympathy for his mate. He gave Levi a lingering kiss on the lips, stroking his dark hair. "I'm only telling you the truth. Sit tight, finish your tea and relax. I'll go and get our son."

Levi nodded with a shaken sigh. It was hard for Erwin to leave that bedroom, knowing his partner was suffering. He'd learned, however, that he couldn't shield Levi from his own demons no matter how much he wanted to. Sometimes he just had to let the omega work through his pain, and if Levi needed more from him, he would let him know.

* * *

Levi was obviously feeling better by the time Erwin returned home with Dylan. He took the child from Erwin's arms, smiling softly at him as Dylan hugged him around the neck and face-planted against his chest.

"Did you have fun with Miss Petra today?" Levi asked the boy softly. Dylan nodded.

"I've started dinner," Levi informed Erwin, shifting his attention to the alpha. "Nothing special. Just some chicken fettuccini."

"It sounds great," enthused Erwin with a smile. He was so relieved to see some light come back to those haunted gray eyes. "Do you need for me to do anything?"

"Maybe check on it while I get Dylan's dinner ready," suggested Levi. "It should be almost done."

"Of course." Erwin went into the kitchen to see the status of the food cooking on the stovetop. "Oh, by the way; I've found us a carpenter and possibly some roofers. Mike is offering to have a look at the place and see what he can fix before we invest money into someone else. Annie is going to touch bases with a couple of friends of hers that work in construction. With any luck, we can get them for half the cost of what we'd spend going through a roofing company."

"That's great news." Levi put Dylan in the highchair, and he ruffled the boy's hair when he started babbling toddler nonsense at him. "On that note, I found us a plumber."

"Did you?" Erwin turned from the stove with surprise. "What is the pay rate?"

Levi shrugged. "He's not charging anything yet. He'll have a look and see what needs to be done, and then he's going to help fix it up at cost price. We can work out payment once we know what needs replacement."

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Gunther," answered Levi. He went to collect the baby eating utensils. "I didn't know he was a plumber before today. He thinks he can get some friends of his to help too. You're okay with that, right? I mean, some of them probably have criminal records but they're all recovery people."

"I...no, I have no problem with that."

Levi paused with the plastic fork and spoon in his hand. He eyed Erwin narrowly, suspicion leaking from him. "Why don't I believe that? Hey, are you...are you still jealous of Gunther?"

"No," answered Erwin too quickly.

"Don't effing lie to me." Levi's eyes narrowed further. "I can feel it. You're jealous."

Erwin sighed. Some things just couldn't be avoided. "All right. I'm jealous. The man sees you day in and day out, and I know you confide in him at times. What can I say, Levi? I try to be civilized but I'm naturally a bit territorial with my omega. I can't shut that off if I try."

Levi relaxed with a smirk. "At least now you're being honest about it. Hey, no hard feelings. If it really bothers you that much, I can decline his offer and look somewhere else."

Erwin shook his head. "No, don't do that. If he's willing to donate his skills and save us some money, I need to just get over my issues and focus on the goal. Right now, we can't afford to be picky."

Levi nodded. "Nicely said. I was worried you would take issue with recovering addicts and former convicts helping us out. Didn't think about you having jealousy issues."

Erwin chuckled. "Levi, I've been an officer long enough to know that some of the best people happen to be those with a criminal background. I'm marrying one, after all."

"Tch. Thanks."

Erwin winced. "I didn't mean—"

"I'm messing with you," Levi interrupted. "Heh. You should see your face right now. You're blushing."

Erwin cleared his throat, and he turned around to stir the pot again. "It looks like it's ready. Let's plate it up and have dinner, shall we?"

"Sure."

Erwin glanced over his shoulder at the omega and saw that cute, teasing hint of a smile on Levi's mouth. He smiled himself, impulsively. It was always nice to make those pouty lips of his turn up at the corners, even if only briefly.

* * *

Annie's contacts proved to be solid. The weekend approached, and everyone met up at the house in the morning. Erwin and Levi left Dylan in Isabel's care for the day. Reiner and Bertolt were already there, and they'd brought a bulldozer with them. The sturdy blond alpha introduced himself to Erwin and Levi, shaking hands with them while his partner started using the machinery to dig up the yard for re-landscaping.

"Hey, nice to meet you," Reiner said. "We got started right away, once you confirmed what you wanted done. We'll have a look at the rooftops later on."

Erwin returned the handshake. "Thanks, friend. We're very grateful. I'm going to cook up some barbeque for everyone at noon."

Levi was off to the left, talking to Mikasa, Eren and Armin. Erwin nodded in the direction of his mate. "That's my fiancé, Levi. He's the one you want to talk to if you have any questions or comments regarding your job. As for payment—"

"Annie already told us," Reiner informed him with a shrug. "We agreed on the salary, and we're cool with lunch and beer. No need to negotiate."

Erwin's brows shot up briefly. They really had lucked out on their findings, and he still couldn't believe the amount of work they were getting out of people at such low cost. "Thank you. The bathrooms are both functional and we've supplied extra towels for anyone that wants a shower after the day's work."

"Thanks, man." Reiner turned around, and his eyes widened on the sight of his companion. He ran away waving his arms before saying anything further to Erwin. "Yo, Bert! Not there, dumbass!"

The tall brunet stopped the bulldozer, and he wiped sweat from beneath the hardhat covering his head. "But you said—"

"I said the perimeter," corrected Reiner. "Not inside the fucking fence!"

Erwin grimaced. Annie had warned him, after all. The pair did appear to make a good team, though. Bertolt immediately backed up the machine and re-directed his efforts as instructed. At least he seemed to know what he was doing, mistakes aside.

Levi approached Erwin from behind. "Mikasa and I are going inside to clear out some more things. You okay with overseeing everything while we do that?"

Erwin nodded. "Of course. Leave it to me."

Inwardly he was thinking that it might be a miracle if they got through this day without anything being accidentally demolished.

* * *

Levi was struggling with memories as he and his cousin cleared out the master bedroom. They put all of Kuchel's knick-knacks into a box to be sorted out later. Kenny had already removed all of his clothing and shoes. As Levi started to go through the closet, he paused and stared down at the floor.

"Hey, Mikasa. You like boots, right?"

She came up behind him, and he gestured at the collection lined up on the floor. "They should all fit you, I think. You and Mom are the same foot size."

"Oh." Mikasa bit her lip, and she squatted down to examine the collection. "I never knew Aunt Kuchel was such a boot lover."

He almost smiled. "Yeah. She loved her boots. You should have them, if you want 'em. They're a little dated, but..."

Mikasa picked up a pair of brown sued knee-high boots, with squared toes and a zipper on the inside of them. She looked up at her cousin and told him somberly: "Boots never go out of fashion."

"Now you sound like Mom," he told her dryly. "Take as many as you want. Hell, I can't wear them."

He heard a bang from somewhere downstairs, and he frowned. "Now what? I'll be right back."

Leaving Mikasa to her shoe selection, he went downstairs to see what was happening. Mike was there, and the big blond had pried up one of the steps leading down from the front porch. Levi frowned at him, on the verge of demanding what the hell he thought he was doing. He saw Erwin standing behind Mike, so he refrained.

"Termites," Mike announced with a grunt. He stood up, holding the half-rotten lumber in his hands. He showed it to Erwin for the chief's inspection. "See here? It's all going to have to be replaced, but if they've nested you're going to have to get a pest control guy out here to treat the place. Probably have to have it tented."

Erwin looked with a frown, and then he glanced Levi's way. "We'll get it taken care of."

Levi had a look, and he saw the holes in the board when Mike showed him the piece of wood. "Shit."

"It might not be that bad," Mike said. "I'll have a look through the rest of the house and see if the infestation goes beyond this."

"Okay, but why the hell did you pop the step off? Could have just left it where it was."

Mike shrugged. "I was going to replace it with the lumber I brought." He dropped the board on the ground and crossed muscular arms over his chest. "Won't do much good if the new board is just going to get infested, though."

Levi gave the guy his grace, having no comeback for that. Mike obviously knew what he was talking about, and termites weren't anything to mess around with. "All right. Have a look around and see what you can find."

Mike nodded, and he went into the house to further inspect. Levi followed him curiously as the big blond bounced on the floor a couple of times to test it, then proceeded up the stairs.

"Shit," Mike blurted as one of the steps on the staircase to the second floor gave out and cracked beneath his foot. He hastily hopped to the next step. "I think they're in here, too."

Levi checked a sigh. Well, if anyone could test the integrity of the structure in here, it was definitely Mike. The guy had to weigh close to two-hundred pounds and it was all muscle. "All right. Just...try not to break the floor when you go upstairs."

"Sorry," muttered Mike. He continued up the stairs. "Where's the attic access at?"

"Hallway," instructed Levi, pointing up. "Between the bedrooms."

Erwin came up behind Levi, carefully skipping the step that had broken under Mike's weight. "I'll look up pest control tomorrow," he promised the omega in a whisper.

"Thanks." Levi was too preoccupied to put more thought into it. He watched as Mike reached up with frustrating ease to tug the pull ring to the attic door down. "Must be nice to be that fucking tall."

Erwin chuckled, his breath tickling Levi's ear. "It has its advantages, but you tend to bump your head a lot."

Levi smirked. He hadn't thought about that disadvantage. Head-bumping was something he'd never really had to worry about. He watched as Mike pulled down the ladder and ascended into the attic. "There's a chain you can pull for the light. Should be a little to your left."

"Got it," Mike's voice floated down, and the light clicked on. "Looks pretty decent up here. I'll check everything out."

Levi checked his watch. "Where the hell is Hange at?" he wondered. She'd said she would be there when they started, but he hadn't heard anything from her yet.

"Probably just running a bit late," Erwin soothed. "Give her some time. She adjusted her schedule to help us out."

"Yeah." Levi held back a sigh. He was far too tense already. "Let's go back downstairs. Eren thinks he can paint this place, but he also thinks he's a rockstar just because he's got a garage band. I want to make sure he's not out there covering this place in hot pink or something."

* * *

Hange arrived some twenty minutes later, apologizing profusely for her tardiness. She was dressed in a rather cute ensemble of denim overalls, tennis shoes and a white t-shirt. She wore protective goggles over her eyes with rectangular lenses, and she immediately studied the house's electricity schematic that Erwin handed to her.

"Yup, yup. I see. Hmm, it looks like there's an awful lot connected to the same grid here." She pointed out the first floor grid with a grimace. "That could cause circuit issues if you plug too much in. Maybe we can correct that."

"Do whatever you can," encouraged Erwin. Gunther was already inside with a couple of his helpers, checking out the plumbing system. So far, things seemed to be going well. "Do you need anything?"

"Pfft, I can handle this." Hange waved it aside, and she started for the entrance. "Whoopsie, what happened here?"

"Mike happened," Levi explained sourly. "He decided to rip off one of the steps. He still hasn't done a damned thing about fixing it. The big brute's lumbering around in the attic right now."

"Levi, try to be patient," Erwin said quietly. "He still needs to finish looking the place over before he starts on repairs."

"Okay then," Hange said with a shrug, skipping over the broken step. "It's no biggie. Show me to the fuse box."

Erwin obliged her, taking her through the house to the laundry room where said fuse box was located. She pulled it open and eyeballed it, rubbing her hands together.

"Okay, first thing's first. Now that I know where this is, I need to check the wiring. First I need to know what's been giving you the most trouble? Can you pinpoint anything that trips it?"

"The dryer," Levi answered. "It trips the damned fuse every time we try to run it."

Hange nodded. "Good, good."

Levi stared at her. "How is that 'good'?"

She smirked at him. "Because now I know where to start. Don't you worry, Levi. I'll figure out the circuit issues and have it all worked out by the end of the day."

Erwin rubbed his mate's shoulders, sensing his tension. "Let's get out of her way. I'm sure Hange knows what she's doing."

"Fine," grumbled Levi. He allowed Erwin to escort him out of the laundry room and into the living room. He took a seat on the covered couch, and he rubbed his temples. "My head fucking hurts. I need...never mind."

Knowing what it was Levi had nearly said, Erwin shared his energy with him. "I've got you."

Levi gave a little start, and then his tension eased. He looked at Erwin with a half-apologetic, half relieved gaze. "How do you do that?"

"With practice." Erwin smiled, glad to have helped stave off the onset of Levi's craving for a fix.

"I just don't—" Levi started, but his sentence was interrupted by a sudden howling yelp coming from the laundry room.

"Owww! Son of a _bitch_!"

Erwin and Levi both stared wide-eyed when Hange emerged, staggering a bit. Her hair was fluffier than usual, and she was moving jerkily.

"Okay, we're just going to cut off the power to this one circuit board for a minute," announced the doctor. "Whoo, that can wake a girl up."

"Are you alright?" Erwin got up and went to her with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine," Hange assured him, nodding jerkily. "What a jolt, though. Not to worry; it was like getting ten cups of coffee at once. I just...let me sit down for a second."

Levi scooted aside to make room as Hange collapsed on the sofa. His lips thinned while he watched her curl onto her side. "Do we need to call an ambulance or something? Don't you fucking die on us."

"I'll be fine," she answered, grinning lopsided at him. "Don't be so worried. I just had a run-in with a loose wire. I'll be okay."

Levi looked up at Erwin, his expression wary and doubtful. The blond was about to give his input when suddenly and without warning, the ceiling above them gave way. Mike Zacharius came crashing down amidst plaster and wood chips, landing flat and hard in the middle of the floor with a grunt and a thud. Levi jumped up with a string of curses, staring at the splayed mess of Erwin's second in command.

"What the fuck?"

"There's," coughed Mike, "a leak. Water damage. Termites too. I fell."

"Jesus." Erwin hurried to his friend's side, squatting before him. "Mike! Is anything broken?"

"Just...the ceiling," came the rough answer. "Sorry about that."

"Okay, everyone move aside," Hange ordered, getting up stiffly to come to Mike's side. "Give him some room. Let me have a look at him to be sure everything's in working order."

Levi and Erwin stood back while Hange checked Mike over. Mikasa came down the stairs with wide eyes, carrying two pairs of boots in her hands.

"What happened?" she asked, looking from the hole in the ceiling to the blond cop on the floor.

"The attic floor gave out on him while he was up there inspecting it," Levi informed her.

"Then how did Kenny manage to move everything out of there without this happening to him?"

Levi shrugged. "Weight difference, I guess. Kenny's a bean pole. Mike's a big, heavy bastard. Seems we have a leak in the roof and the water damage finally made it give way when he stepped on the weak spot."

Other people came in to see what the ruckus was about. Bertolt whistled softly upon seeing the gaping hole in the ceiling, and he glanced at his partner. "Looks like we're going to have our work cut out for us."

Reiner nodded. "Yeah. I'll get the ladder and see if I can pinpoint where the problem started. We can put a tarp over it for now to keep it from getting any worse until we've got all the materials we need."

"Thank you," said Erwin. He looked down at Mike again, and he offered his friend a hand up once Hange backed away with a satisfied nod. Both men grunted as Mike got painfully to his feet. "Does he need to go to the hospital?"

"Not badly enough to warrant an ambulance," Hange answered, "but he should still go in to get x-rays just in case. There's only so much I can tell from a surface examination and he could have a hairline fracture somewhere."

"I'll be okay," Mike insisted. He looked at his girlfriend when Nanaba came through the door with wide eyes. "It's fine. I fell through the ceiling but nothing's broken."

"Let the hospital be the judge of that," she demanded. "I know you're hard to break but we'd best be sure. Come on, Mike. I'll drive you."

He sighed, and Erwin smirked at him when the big blond caved under Nanaba's stern gaze.

"All right. Sorry Erwin. I'll get back to what I was doing tomorrow, I guess."

"Don't worry about that right now," suggested Erwin. "Your health is more important. There isn't any rush."

* * *

Mike got checked out at the hospital as advised, and he returned on Sunday to stubbornly resume working on the steps with Nanaba assisting him. Reiner and Bertolt got the shingles they needed to begin work on the roof. Gunther came with the parts necessary to fix the integrity of some of the pipe work, and he brought a few friends with him to help. Eren, Mikasa and Armin started painting the outside. Levi and Erwin focused on loading up what remained of the furnishings, and they set up some folding picnic tables and served barbecue to all the workers for lunch.

Right now the place was a mess. The yard and driveway were torn up in preparation for landscaping, and Erwin had a port-o-potty delivered and placed at the east side of the house for quick bathroom access, since the downstairs bathroom was now out of commission for repairs. Levi shook his head hopelessly as he surveyed the place. He knew it was going to take time before the property started to resemble a habitable home again, but it was hard to visualize it right now with everything so torn up.

"We'll get there," Erwin soothed, coming up behind him. He put his hands on the smaller male's shoulders, and he kissed the top of his head. "I know it looks bad right now, but the destruction is necessary in order to rebuild what's damaged."

"I know," sighed Levi, "and I know we're lucky to have people willing to work on this practically for free. It's just hard to look at the place right now. I wonder what my mom would think if she could see it like this."

"She would think her son is doing his best to preserve her home," Erwin murmured. "I called pest control, by the way. They'll come out on Tuesday to tent the place and treat it for termites. By next weekend, it should be pest free."

Levi nodded. "How much is that setting us back?"

Erwin's mouth thinned. "Let's not worry about that."

"That bad, huh?" Levi turned around to face him. "How much of your savings have you drained already in this endeavor?"

"No more than I was expecting," Erwin said evasively. "That money was there to be used if and when needed, Levi. We have need of it now, and that's what it was there for. I have no regrets."

Levi grimaced. Erwin had already agreed to cover the cost of most of this, because Levi was trying to save up to buy a car of his own. They could make some of it back through the sale of some of the furnishings, but it wasn't going to be nearly enough to cover it all. He indulged himself in a rare moment of public affection, embracing Erwin around the waist.

"I'm going to make this up to you," promised Levi. "I don't know how yet, but I will."

"There's no need." Erwin smiled. "Just marry me on my birthday as requested. That's enough for me."

"I will," vowed the omega. There was more that Levi could do for him than that, though. Much more. He'd been thinking about it, and while he didn't know if he would ever be ready to go through with actually doing it, he could at least open up the option of having another kid some day. He said nothing to his mate, though. He had to be certain this was a decision he was prepared to execute, before giving the man hope.

* * *

-To be continued


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading "Entropy". I decided to upload the rest of it tonight because of things going on in my personal life. Thank you for reading all of my stories, and I'm sorry some of them will never be completed.

It took six months to complete the construction on the house. During that time, Levi and Erwin got married on his birthday, as promised. It was a small and simple wedding that they held at the lake. All their closest friends and family attended, save for Kenny, of course. Their friends pitched in to cover their honeymoon, seeing as they had a limited budget. Dylan went to stay with Mikasa and Eren while the couple went away for a week to enjoy their honeymoon. Levi had been tempted to take the child with them, but Hange convinced him that having a baby around to take care of might put a damper on their special time together.

He called each day to check on his son, while each night he and Erwin did it like rabbits. By the time they left the beach resort they were staying at, Levi could barely walk. Once they made it back from their holiday, it was business as usual. Both men returned to work, Dylan got enrolled into preschool and each weekend they oversaw the work on the Ackerman home.

When the restoration project was finally complete, Levi put up with having his mate cover his eyes with his hands upon arrival to the place.

"All right, are you ready?" Erwin murmured to him, guiding him away from the car and to the fence.

"Yeah, knock off the theatrics," Levi grumbled. "Let me see it already."

Erwin removed his hands from the omega's eyes, and Levi blinked them open to have his first view of the house for two whole weeks. His jaw dropped in spite of his effort to be blasé about the event. There was a ribbon tied to the gate on the picket fence, emerald green in color. Levi stared at the house, visibly stunned. It looked exactly as it had in his childhood, save for the absence of some of the trees that had to be removed due to age and damage. New saplings had been planted in their place; cherry blossom trees.

"I...don't believe it," he whispered truthfully, eyes wide. He started for the front gate. The decision to replace the broken fence had been the last one he'd made. It was like stepping back in time, and he half-expected to see Kuchel Ackerman come out the front door, smiling and carrying her watering can.

Levi touched the ribbon on the gate while his spouse watched, and he opened it slowly to step through. Walking the step-stone path leading up to the front porch, he moved like one who was sleep walking. He hesitated with his foot hovering over the bottom step, and then he ascended the stairs to the front door. The etched glass window in the doorway wasn't the same as the old one, but that hardly mattered. Levi dug out his keys, unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The polished hardwood floors were immaculate. A runner covered the floor at the entrance, red and black patterned. Levi took a slow look around. There wasn't any furnishings yet because Mikasa and Eren would be bringing their own when they moved in. He could picture the way it used to be in his mind as he inspected the foyer and living room. The fireplace had been cleaned up and restored, the wooden mantle polished to a fine finish. Levi touched it, and then he went into the kitchen.

"It's...perfect," he finally said, turning around to look at Erwin as the alpha came up behind him. "Better than I thought it could be. It's almost the same place I remember from childhood."

Erwin smiled at him. "Everyone followed your instructions as closely as possible, and Mikasa helped direct everything when you weren't around to do it. Are you happy with it?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah. I am."

Erwin glanced around, and he put his hands in his pockets. "Are you sure you don't want to move in here? There's still time to change our plans."

Levi bit his lip, and he shook his head. "No, I don't want to live here. Too many ghosts, despite how nicely the place turned out. We'll go through with our plans to rent it to Mikasa. She'll take good care of it and I can come over whenever I want."

"All right," agreed Erwin gently.

Levi understood his husband's subtle attempt to change his mind. This home would have been the perfect place to raise a family. There was plenty of room to grow. Erwin never pressured him or even mentioned it, but Levi knew the man would jump on it in a heartbeat if he ever said he was willing to have another baby with him.

With a soft sigh of resolution, Levi came to a final decision that he'd been putting off making. He walked over to Erwin, reached up and put his hands on the alpha's broad shoulders.

"I've come to a realization, big stuff."

Erwin tilted his head curiously, his sapphire gaze intrigued. "And that is?"

"I don't know if I'll ever be ready to actually do it, but I want the option of more kids available to us. Dylan's started school, we've got financial security and I'm eligible for maternity leave now if I need to take time off work. Let's set up an appointment to have my procedure reversed."

Erwin's mouth fell open with surprise he couldn't conceal. "L-Levi, are you sure? Do you really want to do this? If you change your mind—"

"I'm sure," interrupted the omega. "I'll get on birth control after its done. If and when I feel like I'm ready for another kid, we can start trying. Just don't get your hopes up too high; this isn't an offer to get pregnant. It's just a promise that I'll be able to if the day ever comes that I'm ready to go for it. Understand?"

Erwin nodded convulsively. His eyes were lit up with happiness. One would think Levi had just announced he was already pregnant by the boyish expression of joy on Erwin's handsome face. Levi was about to again caution him that this didn't mean he was offering to be fertilized, but the alpha caught him up in an embrace before he could do so. Breathless from the force of Erwin's hug, Levi put up with it and he hoped he hadn't set his husband up for disappointment.

* * *

A week later, Erwin was at the hospital with Levi, hovering over the omega's bed while waiting for him to come to. Levi moaned unconsciously as the effects of the anesthesia wore off. Erwin stroked his hair and spoke to him in a low, soothing voice.

"I'm here, love. Come out of it."

The pale eyes fluttered open, disoriented and with wide pupils. Levi looked up at the blond, awareness creeping into his expression. "Is it...done?"

Erwin nodded and smiled at him. "You came through like a champ. Hange assured me it was a complete success. You're going to be sore for a while and you need to take it easy. The stitches will dissolve over time."

Levi tugged down the sheets and lifted up his gown to have a look at the incision site. They'd gone in through the same two spots as the last operation. "Feels worse than it looks," he mumbled.

"The scarring should be minimal." Erwin squeezed his hand. "Hange was very careful about that."

Levi shrugged. "I don't care about scarring. What's one more gonna hurt?" There was some relief in his voice, though.

"Dylan is here with Mikasa," Erwin told him. "Do you want to see him?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah."

"All right, I'll be right back."

Erwin patted his hand, and he left the room to seek out Mikasa and their son. She was in the waiting room with him, looking through a magazine while Dylan sat on the floor and watched the cartoons playing on the television. Erwin scooped up his son with a little grunt.

"He's awake now," he said to Mikasa. "He's doing well."

She put the magazine down, and she went with Erwin to Levi's recovery room. Levi gave Dylan a weak, tiny smile as the child greeted him happily. Erwin carried the boy over to his papa, mindful not to put Dylan on top of the recovering omega.

"No son, you can't snuggle with Baba right now," explained Erwin when the toddler tried to squirm free to get to Levi. "We have to be gentle with him for a while."

"Baba's hurt?" asked the boy with a pout. They had explained to him that the doctors had to treat Levi, but he couldn't quite understand why.

"I'm going to be fine," Levi assured the boy. "I just can't play with you the way I normally do for a little while. Have you been good for Aunt Mikasa?"

"Yeah." Dylan nodded. "We made a puzzle."

"He does love his puzzles," Mikasa informed with a smile at the boy. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone dug through my insides and knotted things up," he answered dryly. "Not too bad, though. Kind of sick to my stomach from the medication."

"I'll ask if they have anything they can give you for nausea," Erwin offered. "Be right back."

He went to find a nurse and inform her of the issue, and she checked over Levi's patient chart for what kind of medications he was allowed to have. She got an injection ready and fed it directly into Levi's IV. His eyes began to drift shut while Erwin watched.

"It will make him drowsy," explained the nurse, "but it should take care of the nausea. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No," answered Erwin. He put Dylan down. "Thank you. When can we take him home?"

"I think Dr. Zoë plans on keeping him overnight for observation, but he should be ready for release by tomorrow."

"Thank you," said Erwin. He stroked Levi's hair again while the nurse left the room. He was loathe to leave his husband alone overnight, but Dylan had preschool in the morning and Erwin needed to get things set up at home for Levi. "Mikasa, would you mind staying here with him? I would do it myself, but there are things I need to take care of."

"Of course," she agreed. "Isabel is going to come and see him as well. We can take shifts if we need to."

"I...don't need a...babysitter," Levi yawned. "You guys...can go."

"Sorry, that isn't how it's going to work," Mikasa informed him. "We aren't letting you out of our sight until you're released. Not that I don't trust Hange, but everybody knows that you should always have someone with you to ask questions and watch over you when you're in the hospital."

"That's right," agreed Erwin. "It's simply common sense." He bent over to give Levi a lingering kiss on the lips. "I'll be back tomorrow after I drop Dylan off at preschool. If you need anything, call me."

Levi nodded, already drifting off to sleep.

* * *

His recovery time took a bit longer than Levi expected. The last time he was back on his feet in two days, but this time he was much sorer. Hange told him that was because the reversal procedure was more complicated than the initial tubal. They'd had to re-attach everything, so he had stitches inside as well as out. He could only wear loose fitting, drawstring pants for the first week, foregoing underwear entirely. He couldn't even walk on his own at first and Erwin had to assist him to use the bathroom, bathe and dress. It was frankly humiliating, but the blond was so attentive and doting that Levi had to admit it was a little nice to get spoiled.

Their friends and family helped with Dylan while Levi was recovering. They'd come over to help him when Erwin had to be at work, bringing Levi meals and babysitting his little boy. Gunther even came over to check on him once, though he didn't linger. Levi suspected the beta male knew Erwin didn't like him being alone with his mate. Most betas were wary of crossing alpha males.

After a couple of weeks, Levi healed up enough to return to his routine, though he had to do so gradually. He started out working part time hours at the clinic until Hange gave him the okay to return to full time work. Erwin handled him so gingerly that it was like he feared Levi would break, and that started to get on the omega's nerves. He tried to initiate sex with Erwin several times, but the alpha kept gently turning him down.

"Levi, you know Hange cautioned against us having sex for at least a month after your operation," Erwin reminded him one night when Levi started nibbling his ear and rubbing up against him.

"But I feel fine," protested Levi. "You don't have to pound me into the mattress, blondie. Let's just take it slow and easy. I'm horny."

Erwin smirked at him, his blue gaze roaming over Levi with helpless admiration. "You know I would be on you in a heartbeat under normal circumstances. I'm not immune to your charms; I just don't want to risk damaging you. Your stitches haven't dissolved yet and we could tear them if we aren't careful."

"It's not like I'm taped together," reasoned Levi. "A little fooling around won't hurt me." He traced Erwin's collar bone, and his hand drifted lower over the blond's broad, bare chest. The blond's crisp chest hairs tickled Levi's palm, and he swelled further in his pajama bottoms.

"Come on, big guy," coaxed Levi breathily. "After all the time it took for me to be comfortable again with my own sexuality, are you really gonna keep turning me down?"

He boldly slipped his hand even lower, cupping his mate between the thighs to feel him up through the underwear he had on. There was no doubt about it; Erwin might be expressing reluctance, but his body was telling a different story. Levi purred at the feel of the bulge growing harder under his palm by the second.

"You're stiff as a board down there," observed Levi, squeezing and rubbing him. He smirked when Erwin groaned low in his throat. "I'm on contraceptives. You don't have to worry about accidentally knocking me up."

"That...isn't what I'm worried about," breathed Erwin. He reached down to pry Levi's hand off his goods. "Levi, enough. My self-control is getting stretched to the limit."

"That's what I'm counting on," murmured the omega. He kissed Erwin's throat, and he rubbed his cheek against the spot where his scent gland was located. "Mmm...you smell so fucking good."

With a sudden, low growl, Erwin rolled over and pinned Levi beneath him. He held his wrists above his head, and his vivid eyes blazed down at him with lust. It startled Levi enough to make him gasp, and for a second he felt panic rising. It quickly morphed into something else when Erwin grinded suggestively between his thighs. Levi strained experimentally against the alpha's firm hold on him. It was turning him on, and that came as a mild surprise to him. Maybe it was because they hadn't done it in a while, or maybe the pair-bond between them had finally dissolved that instinctive fear of being restrained.

Whatever the reason, Levi's body heat rose and he started getting wet. It occurred to him that he hadn't started back up on the suppressants, and he groaned. He was in danger of having another QFC—or Quck Fuck Compulsion, as he'd dubbed it. That biological imperative that Hange explained would happen to him from time to time, making his hormones spike, his nipples start lactating and his body go weak from the overpowering and sudden mating urges.

"Erwin," Levi groaned, biting his lip. He canted his hips greedily, a damp spot forming on the crotch of his sleep pants.

"Damn it," groaned the blond, nostrils flaring. "Why now, when I can't do anything about it?"

"Who says you can't?" Levi rubbed against him, biting his lip. Fuck, he was turned on.

"This isn't funny, Levi," Erwin told him sternly, rubbing back. He was fast losing composure as Levi's pheromone levels spiked, tickling his senses and spurring on the alpha needs. "I could really hurt you. If you end up hospitalized because of me, I'll never forgive myself."

"That won't happen," Levi panted. "What if I ride you? Let me set the pace if you're that worried."

Of course, with Erwin pinning him down like this, riding him wasn't what Levi really wanted. He wanted to be fucked, wanted to be claimed by this golden Adonis. He never would have believed himself capable of feeling this way not so long ago, but now it got him hot just thinking about it.

"You're treading on thin ice over deep waters," Erwin cautioned, the blue of his eyes intensifying. He was starting to tremble and Levi could feel the primal frustration welling up in him.

"It's close enough to a month," reasoned Levi.

"It's only been two weeks."

"So? I heal fast. Hange was just giving us a guideline when she said we should wait for a month. She's a beta. She can't understand what it's like...especially when these hormone surges happen to us."

"Damn it," Erwin swore again, and then his mouth claimed Levi's in a rough, urgent kiss.

Levi accepted the bruising force of it, kissing him back just as aggressively. He tried to free his wrists again and when he couldn't, it made him even hotter. He moaned into the kiss, undulating beneath his husband suggestively. Levi didn't even question it further, figuring he was reacting this way because he felt safe with Erwin.

"Levi," groaned the alpha, breaking the kiss. His lips trailed along the smaller man's jaw to the side of his neck. He nipped at Levi's scent gland, then nuzzled the spot urgently. He then started kissing his way down, and his hands tightened on Levi's wrists when the omega squirmed.

"Be still," ordered the blond.

Levi swallowed, his restless motions ceasing impulsively. Erwin must have sensed how excited this was making him, else he would have released him by now out of concern that he might trigger anxiety. Levi's back arched as Erwin's lips closed around his left nipple, tugging on it and making a jolt go through him. The smaller man sucked in a sharp breath as his mate's tongue flicked against the sensitive bud. He spread his thighs wider, and a humiliating whimper burst from his lips.

Erwin looked up at his face as he sucked and tongued the pebbled flesh. He watched him with an intensity that made Levi's toes curl.

"Oh shit," exclaimed Levi in a shaken voice, eyes widening. He was coming already. He barely got the chance to brace for it before he made a sticky mess in his pants. Flushed, bewildered and startled, he breathed in short, quick little gasps.

"Did you just come?" Erwin said, pausing his ministrations to smile with delight.

"Y-yeah," admitted Levi in a wheeze. "Hit me like a truck. Goddamn, my nipples are sensitive right now."

Levi could feel Erwin's intrigue through their link, and he knew what was going through the blond's head. "H-hey, don't get any ideas. Give me a minute before you...hah!"

Erwin paid no heed. His mouth closed on Levi's other nipple, hot and wet and oh so fantastic. Levi shook helplessly, tossing his head. Ripples of pleasure spread from his chest to his toes, just like the last time Erwin played with his nipples while he was having a hormone spike. Levi didn't even get a chance to get hard again before he blew another load in his pants.

"You...bastard," he moaned without any true rancor.

Erwin's response to that was to go down on him. Levi yelped when the alpha released his wrists, yanked his pants down and off, and exposed his cum smeared, softened length. His mouth was on him in moments, and Levi's fingers tangled into his golden hair as the blond began to busily suck him off. Levi was hyper sensitive right now from coming twice in a row. It was almost more than he could take, and he started cussing up a storm without consciously realizing it.

In direct contrast to his whining protests, his pelvis rolled wantonly, encouraging the other man's attentions. He shuddered when a finger eased into him, probing deliberately for that sweet spot inside. Levi bucked helplessly when Erwin found it and began to strum it rhythmically. His eyes rolled back and his ankles crossed behind Erwin's shoulders.

Levi brought a hand to his mouth to try and muffle his cries so that he wouldn't wake Dylan. He bit into his palm and his toes curled. He started getting hard again, his cock firming up little by little in Erwin's sucking mouth. Just when he thought he was going to come a third time, his husband stopped and issued another husky demand.

"Roll over."

Trembling and breathless, Levi did as he was advised. He looked over his shoulder at Erwin when the blond grasped his hips and positioned his butt in the air.

"Oh shit, not that," Levi begged, sensing Erwin's intention. "I can't take it, blondie!"

"You asked for it, and I know you don't really want me to stop."

Levi bowed his head and covered his mouth again when his determined mate spread his ass cheeks and started rimming him vigorously. He was right; he _didn't_ want him to stop. That was both an advantage and a disadvantage to their bond. Levi didn't have to tell Erwin when to stop anymore. If he really wanted him to cease doing something to him, Erwin could sense it. Of course, that made it impossible for Levi to maintain any dignity or play hard to get.

"Ah, fuck...oh, Erwin..."

Levi didn't even know what he was saying anymore. That tongue...god, the things Erwin could do to him with that tongue of his. It thrust deeply inside of him, curling and wiggling and destroying Levi's self-restraint. He heard himself sob from the ecstasy of it, felt himself again cresting that wave.

Then Erwin stopped yet again. Levi's eyes popped open, and he gave the blond a sheer look of devastation over his shoulder. Erwin was breathing roughly now, staring at the puckered entrance he'd just been tongue fucking. His gaze met Levi's, his mussed blond hair falling over one brow.

"If you think I'm finished with you," informed Erwin, "you're mistaken."

Erwin sat back on his heels, and he tugged his underwear down to free his monster cock. He gestured at Levi. "Sit on me. Backwards."

Levi's heart skipped a beat. "Interesting." They'd never tried the suggested position before, and he knew it was going to be deeply penetrating. Even so, it would allow him a measure of control and keep Erwin's weight off of him, which Levi suspected was the blond's reasoning behind it.

"Do you still want it?" Erwin asked him softly when Levi hesitated.

"Yeah. Sure," answered Levi gamely. He crawled backwards toward his mate, and Erwin helped him to get into a straddling position on top of him. Levi straightened up and leaned back against the bigger man, holding his breath while Erwin got himself positioned.

"If it hurts," Erwin told him, "don't try to play it tough. Understand? This is not up for debate."

"Yeah, I know." Levi twisted so that he could look into his husband's eyes. "You won't hurt me, though."

"God, I hope not," sighed Erwin. He shifted and moved, pressing the tip of his arousal into Levi's entrance. Erwin grunted softly, putting his arms around Levi to embrace him from behind as he began to fill him up.

For a brief moment, Levi worried that he wouldn't be able to take Erwin. He was tighter than usual because they hadn't done it since before he had his surgery. Refusing to admit defeat, he bore down to open himself up for him. That did the trick, and he moaned as the alpha's lengthy girth drove into him slowly. He took a shaken breath, squeezed the alpha's forearms for support and let his weight take him down the rest of the way.

"Ah, fuck that's good," announced Levi with feeling once his mate was fully seated inside of him.

"Amazing," agreed Erwin unsteadily.

He squeezed Levi, and he started to move with slow, careful deliberation. The omega's breath caught, and he tilted his head to the side when Erwin's lips sought out his neck, giving him greater access. It was slightly awkward at first because it was an unpracticed position for them to try, but soon Levi fell into it. Rising and falling on his spouse's hard length, Levi adjusted his seating until he found the best angle.

"Right there," he whimpered, biting his lip. "Shit, bullseye..."

Erwin didn't need to be told twice. His breath was hot and uneven on Levi's neck, his arms locked around his torso. Erwin's low grunts of appreciation got steadily louder as his passion grew. He started playing with Levi's nipples again, teasing them with pinches and rubbing them. Levi tried to control the volume of his voice, but the nipple play on top of the penetration was making it a losing battle. His body heated up, his urgency increased and he started to bounce on Erwin's cock.

"No, Levi," rasped the alpha sternly. He went still beneath the smaller man, holding Levi firmly to keep him still. "Keep it gentle. I mean it."

"Tch. Autocrat." Nonetheless, Levi followed the directive in the interest of getting off. Personally he thought Erwin was being paranoid, but he grudgingly admitted it was better to take it slow until he was fully healed. At least he'd won this round and talked Erwin into doing it.

Erwin's rough groans were exciting to hear. The man was so careful with him, but Levi knew he was riding the edge of control right now. The omega cried his name softly, nipples tingling from Erwin's attention, ass throbbing from the depth of his penetration. Levi tried to make it last. He even reached down to squeeze the base of his erection and stave off his climax. His desperate vocalizations got louder, and he again had to cover his mouth.

"Baba?"

Levi froze, and so did Erwin. Fortunately they'd locked the bedroom door out of cautious habit, even though Erwin hadn't planned on having sex tonight. Levi was adamantly careful about that, because the last thing he wanted was for their son to walk in on them sometime and see them doing it.

"Go back to bed, Dylan," Levi said as evenly and calmly as he could.

"Baba, you okay?"

Levi groaned. The poor kid probably heard him moaning and thought he was in pain. They'd only just recently started letting him sleep in the "big boy bed" instead of the crib to test it out and see how he did with it.

"I'm fine," Levi called. "Daddy was just...erm...giving me a massage. Go to sleep, kiddo. We'll see you in the morning."

The doorknob jiggled.

"Dylan," Erwin called out, "do I need to count to five?"

The jiggling stopped, and then there were sounds of hastily retreating footsteps. Levi sighed with relief, and he twisted to look at Erwin with an expression of a man who had narrowly avoided something horrible.

"What happens after five?" Levi whispered, trying to calm his racing heart.

"I don't know," answered the blond. "I've never made it that far. That threat probably won't work forever before he figures out how hollow it is."

Levi smirked. Neither of them had ever spanked Dylan, and he hoped they would never have to. "He listens to you more than he listens to me."

"I wouldn't say that." Erwin started to move again, slowly. "Right now...he's just worried about you."

"Mmm..." Levi's eyelids drooped with pleasure, and he started gyrating again, meeting Erwin's thrusts. He'd almost been tempted to prematurely end the encounter, but the moment had passed now that the awkward situation was over. He braced his hands on Erwin's knees, gasping as they picked up the rhythm little by little. His briefly compromised passion returned, and he turned his head for a kiss.

Erwin kept kissing him, muffling both of their pleasured exclamations. His hand curled around Levi's arousal and started pumping. That was the end of it for Levi. He tensed, moaned into Erwin's mouth and came in his hand. Erwin hugged him tight, grunting and speeding up his thrusts slightly. He followed Levi into climax moments later, a low growl vibrating in his throat.

"Told you," gasped Levi after recovering a bit, "you wouldn't hurt me."

Erwin chuckled in defeat, and he rested his heated, sweating forehead against Levi's shoulder.

* * *

Levi finally toured the police academy as Erwin had suggested months ago. Fully recovered from his surgery, he decided to take advantage of the sparring area and brush up on his martial arts. Mikasa went with him, interested in seeing the place herself. They walked the grounds together and Eren was with them. They watched cadets jog past with their trainers, checked out the interior of the facility and tried out the gymnasium and sparring area.

"Why are all you Ackerman's so kicky and punchy?" Eren called out as he watched the cousins begin to spar with each other.

"You're one to talk," Mikasa shot back, barely managing to block Levi's kick in time. "Who's first response to an insult is always to punch first and ask questions later?"

"I'm not that bad." Eren had a seat on the bench, and he winced when Mikasa landed a blow to Levi's ribs. "Hey, don't get carried away, all right? I don't want to have to take either of you to the hospital."

"Relax," grunted Levi. "We're pulling our punches."

"Not bad," commented Mikasa when Levi retaliated, catching her in the hip. "I expected your technique to be much sloppier."

"I guess it's like riding a bike." Levi hopped over a low, sweeping kick she aimed at his feet. "Still pretty stiff, though."

"You'll pick it back up in no time," she encouraged.

Erwin came walking into the gym with Mike, and they stopped and watched the two Ackermans demonstrate their combat skills. His scent distracted Levi enough that he failed to dodge the next blow aimed at him, and he landed on his back with an explosion of breath. Embarrassed, Levi jumped back to his feet quickly before Mikasa could pin him down.

"Take a break?" he suggested to his cousin, more winded than he cared to admit.

Mikasa nodded, and they dropped out of their fighting stances and went to retrieve their sports drinks. Levi met his husband's eyes as Erwin approached with an impressed look on his handsome face.

"Hey," greeted Levi, suddenly self-conscious. He'd never practiced in front of his mate before.

"Hello." Erwin smiled at him, taking in the sight of him in his black Karategi. "I was happy to get your text telling me you were coming here today. What do you think about the facilities?"

Levi looked around as he took a couple of swallows of his drink, and he nodded. "It's nice. Plenty of space and equipment. I think I'll start coming here regularly when I have the spare time. What are you doing here today?"

"Just stopping by to see the progress of new recruits and say hello to you," answered the blond. "Do you need me to pick Dylan up from preschool today, or can you do it?"

"I'll do it. My work building is closer." Levi wiped the sweat from his brow with his towel before draping it around his neck. "I think Mikasa here wants to start coming here too."

"Oh?" Erwin looked at the young woman. "Well, you're more than welcome. I'll make sure you both get a pass so there's no confusion."

"Thank you," she said. She looked around, and then she said something that had Eren's jaw dropping. "You know, I'm thinking of joining the academy."

"What?" Levi and Eren blurted in unison.

Mikasa shrugged. "I like the atmosphere I've seen, and I've always had an interest in military. I nearly joined the army, but I don't know that I want such a heavy obligation. If I join the police force I can stay local. It could be the career I've been looking for."

"Uh, Mikasa," Eren said uncomfortably, "Cops get shot at every day."

"Yes, and so do civilians," she pointed out. "Listen, after what happened with Uncle Kenny, I've been thinking about it a lot. I could really do some good in the community. Levi could too, actually. Not to brag about our skills, but—"

"Whoa, hold on a minute," Levi interrupted. "Don't go volunteering me. I may have come to trust cops more than I used to, but I'm not interested in joining their ranks."

"It was just a thought." Mikasa shrugged.

"Well get it out of your head," Levi warned.

"Yes, please do," agreed Erwin with a slight frown of disapproval.

"Hey, even if I were interested," Levi told her, "they'd never let me on the police force with my record. Did you forget about that?"

"Oh." Mikasa had the grace to look contrite. "I...should have considered that before saying anything."

Levi shrugged it off. He'd come to terms with his past, accepted what he couldn't change about it and moved on. "I've got a kid to raise and I like my job. I get that you think we'd make a good team but I have other responsibilities and obligations."

She nodded. "Right. Eren, would you stop looking at me like that?"

"I...but...are you serious, Mika?" he stammered. The guy looked like he was about to break into a sweat. "Couldn't you just take a course to be a security guard or something?"

"Alphas," she sighed with a shake of her head. "I see what this is about. You and Erwin both have issues with it because of that damned territorial protectiveness."

Levi smirked at his husband as Erwin flushed guiltily. "Let it go, Mikasa. You can't change their nature, and Eren's entitled to weigh in on it. Don't be a bitch."

"Aren't you the domestic," she taunted. "The old Levi would have said something much less charitable than I just did."

"The old Levi wasn't married with a brat to raise," he countered. "Anyway, it's your choice in the end and Jaeger's just going to have to accept that. Just don't be so quick to put him through the wringer because he's worried about his girl getting shot up."

"Thank you," Eren said gratefully. "That _is_ what bothers me and if our positions were reversed, Mikasa, you'd be worried too."

She shrugged, and then she looked at Erwin. "I would like to know more about the requirements, training and costs before I make up my mind, but I _am_ interested."

"Well, if you're really sincere about this, I can get you some reading material," offered the blond. He gestured at his quiet, larger companion. "Mike handles the paperwork on new recruits. He's the person you'll want to see if you decide the academy is for you."

"Can't we talk about this?" begged Eren.

"Look, I supported you when you wanted to start your band and cut back on your work hours," she reminded him. "I've been paying the lion's share of our bills since then, because I want you to be happy even if it means tightening our budget. You can at least let me look into this."

"But that's just it," Eren argued, "if you go to the academy how are we going to keep up with the bills? Armin can't cover your share of the rent on his wages. He's still working on his degree!"

"Excuse me, but can I interject?" Erwin said before Mikasa could give a rebuttal. "Eren, the academy is a program that the city pays for. It isn't like college where you have to pay tuition. Cadets are given a salary during training, and once they graduate and earn their badges, that salary will go up accordingly. I don't know what Mikasa's current wages are, but she won't be unemployed while she's training."

"Oh." He didn't look any happier. "Well...how much would she be making?"

"Now you're just fishing for excuses," Mikasa sighed.

"No I'm not," he defended. "I...look, if you really want to do this, I'm not going to try to stop you. I'll get a second job or go back to working full time if I have to. I can put off my music career for a while longer and go back to it once you get through training, if this is really what you want."

"I don't want you to do that," she said with a frown. "Eren, we can compromise. We'll find a way so that both of us can chase our dreams, all right? The training salary might be enough to get us by and if it isn't, we can work something out. I haven't set it in stone yet. I want to know more about it before I decide, so don't jump to any conclusions."

Mike shrugged. "The pay's not stellar, but it's better than minimum wage."

"See?" Mikasa said. "It sounds like I wouldn't be doing much worse than I am now, and you know I hate my job and have been wanting to get out of it for a while."

"What do you do?" asked Mike.

"I work in a warehouse taking inventory." Mikasa grimaced. "The only reason I'm still there is because I've been there long enough to qualify for their medical coverage."

"You would have medical coverage as a trainee," Erwin assured her. "It's a state requirement due to the rigors of training, actually."

"All right, so get her the information," Levi suggested. He checked his watch. "I'm going to get cleaned up and changed. I've got to pick up Dylan in an hour."

"All right," said Erwin. "I'll see you at home tonight."

* * *

Mikasa decided to go through with the police academy training, much to Eren's disconcertment. It was a six month long course, and Mikasa had to live on the grounds while undergoing the training. Levi got a raise at work, along with some added responsibilities. He was doing well for himself, finally purchasing his own car after saving for a year. He visited Kenny in prison each month, and he sent him family pictures now and then to keep him updated on how Dylan was growing up.

Mike and Nanaba got engaged roughly a half a year after Levi and Erwin were married. They didn't have a date set for the wedding, but that would come in time. Hange became the head of her medical department and she kept tabs on Levi and Erwin regularly. Sometimes they invited her to dinner or went out to eat with her. It became a tradition for them to have the holidays at the Ackerman house they'd restored, inviting their friends every year to join them.

When Dylan entered kindergarten, Levi started thinking more and more about the possibility of expanding their family. He and Erwin were doing well enough that they could afford to move into a bigger place if they wanted to. In fact, Levi found himself browsing real estate prospects around town, and when Erwin saw him doing it on the computer one day, he asked him about it.

"Is this just a curiosity of yours, or are you feeling the need for change?"

Levi looked up from his seat at the desk, and he shrugged. "I don't know. I just started thinking this place is getting a little crowded. We've still got a lot of stuff in storage that we could get out of there if we had more room, so I've just been checking out what's in our budget. Just curious, I guess."

Erwin bent over to look at the computer screen. "We can, you know. It doesn't have to be an apartment either. I don't mind traveling further to work if you would rather find a house than an apartment."

"Apartments are fine." Levi shrugged. "There's a few nice ones in the area that caught my eye. It's no big deal, though. We don't have to find another place if you don't want to."

"I'm not terribly attached to this apartment," Erwin assured him. "It was fine for me as a bachelor, but with Dylan getting bigger and us acquiring more things over time, maybe it's time to put serious consideration into moving. We can make plans this weekend to tour some real estate and get a better idea of what we're after."

"I wasn't expecting you to jump in it so fast," admitted Levi, "but if you really want to, let's do it. We uh...might need the extra space before long, and not just for the furnishings we put in storage."

Erwin cocked his head, a question plain in his blue eyes.

Levi wasn't sure how to say what was on his mind. He'd put it off for so long that it was a little scary to speak his decision out loud. Instead, he got up, went into the bathroom and retrieved his birth control pills. He joined Erwin in the living room, held up the pills and then went into the kitchen to toss them in the garbage.

"Levi?" There was such wary hope in Erwin's voice as he followed the omega into the kitchen and stared at him.

Levi turned around to face him, crossed the floor and reached up to put his arms around Erwin's neck. "Let's do it. I got that procedure reversed because...because I knew deep down I'd eventually be ready. If we're going to get a bigger place, then I'm not going to put it off anymore. Biology's been trying to tell me something for a long fucking time. We should get started while we're both still young enough, wouldn't you agree?"

Erwin was openly stunned. "Are you certain?"

Levi thought about it, and he nodded. "Yeah. Let's make another brat."

Erwin's smile practically took to his ears. He embraced the smaller man tightly, and he hunched over to speak into Levi's ear. "Just when I think you can't make me any happier, you can still surprise me."

"Just don't get too excited yet," cautioned Levi. "Just because my plumbing's intact again doesn't mean it'll happen right away. We might have to try for a while before we get results and I don't want you disappointed if I don't get knocked up right away."

"Of course," Erwin enthused. "I know it doesn't just happen overnight, and I'm thrilled that you're even willing to try."

Erwin kissed Levi's ear, and his voice dropped to a lower tenor. "And the trying...well, that's the funnest part."

Levi had to agree with that. He tilted his head back to accept Erwin's kiss as the alpha's mouth sought out his. He didn't know if he would actually be able to conceive, though Hange believed that he could. Only time would tell, and in the meantime, they had one another and Dylan.

* * *

-The End


End file.
